[Verse 1] Once upon a time there was a girl In her early years she had to learn How to grow up living in a war that she called home Never knew just where to turn for shelter from the storm Hurt me to see the pain across my mothers face Every time my fathers fist would put her in her place Hearing all the yelling, I would cry up in my room Hoping it would be over soon [Chorus] Bruises fade, Father, but the pain remains the same And I still remember how you kept me so afraid Strength is my mother for all the love she gave Every morning that I wake, I look back to yesterday And Im OK [Verse 2] I often wonder why I carry all this guilt When its you that helped me put up all these walls Ive built Shadows stir at night through a crack in the door The echo of a broken child screaming, Please, no more Daddy, dont you understand the damage you have done? To you, its just a memory, but for me, it still lives on [Chorus] Bruises fade, Father, but the pain remains the same And I still remember how you kept me so, so afraid Strength is my mother for all the love she gave Every morning that I wake, I look back to yesterday [Bridge] Its not so easy to forget All the marks you left along her neck When I was thrown against cold stairs And every day, Im afraid to come home In fear of what I might see next [Chorus] Bruises fade, Father, but the pain remains the same Same And I still remember how you kept me so afraid Strength is my mother for all the love you gave Every morning that I wake, I look back to yesterday And Im OK Im OK
bruise, father, mother, afraid, remains