I: fighting
fighting this feeling
rising inside
whispering mantras of truth
to contradict the lies
closing me in
tearing at shadows
trying to find light
gasping for air
but my chest is too tight
to allow me to breathe

II:Beautiful
I used to know
I was beautiful
stunning beyond all compare
then slowly I learned
that in fact I was not;
beautiful people, you see
weigh far less than me
my eyes are too small
and my nose is too big
I live in the shadow of these terrible truths;
but now I am trying
praying, crying
to unlearn these things
and once again know
I am beautiful.

III: I thought
I thought you liked her
I tried to remember
as I made myself vulnerable to you.
I thought you liked her
when you stopped me to say
hello.
I watched you walking together alone,
through the moonlit starlight that night
and I gave up and knew that you liked her.
Yet now as we're dancing
and you're speaking so soft-sweetly to me
I'm no longer sure of anything.
Do you like me?
Could you like me?
Can you feel my heart melting
and somehow racing
as you hold me close in the dark?
This confusing goodbye
my heart feels so bruised
as I travel away
my thoughts remain
tumbling and twisting
seeking the truth about you.

IV: chosen
he asked me to the dance
I'd never been asked before
just as friends of course
yet there might be something more
no matter his intent
or what futures may present
I'll always remember
that he asked me first
and the times we shared
and feel special
that he chose me.

V: be there
almost asleep
you talked me awake
confiding dreams you two had made
and now are crumbled and gone
you made me the keeper of your heart
I held it so gently
and did my best to protect you
but I could only do as much
as you would let me do
so in the end
I tried to be there for you

VI: tangible love
I saw them standing
as I drove by
waiting at a crosswalk for the light
her energy spilled out through her
arms and legs and hair and eyes
he watched as she talked
patiently listening
his entire body radiating love for
this girl
I had to drive on
traffic doesn't stop
when you want it to
but as I went on
I said a prayer for those two
those two whose love was so clear and so plain
I want a love like that
someday

VII: before the goodbyes
sitting there
side by side
rocking in time to the music
remembering
everything
laughing so we don't cry
ignoring the hovering goodbye
lingering there
for one last song
leaving all this
will be so wrong
we have no choice
so 'til we do
we'll sit here and rock
and remember