The scars will knit together again
And the bruises will fade away.
The ringing in your head will clear.
You’ll live to see better days.

That may be true, but you need to know
That those aren’t my only wounds.
The scars and bruises and blows to the head
Are nothing to what will come soon.

Look. You can’t see the scars anymore.
I told you that they would fade.
You see? They’re hardly there at all.
There’s no need to be so afraid.

No need to be afraid, you say?
You know nothing of the dreams.
The ones that wake me in cold sweats
With tears and strangled screams.

What’s wrong with you? Why aren’t you happy?
You’re better – good as new.
You’re fully healed. Perfect and sound.
What left is there to do?*

I wish I were whole the way you think.
The scars are gone, true enough,
But the dreams persist and they always will.
Deeper scars – eternal and rough.