Promises

by Owen Thomas

I remember sneaking in through her parents' back door
In the middle of the night, in the middle of the storm
To tell her she was all I would ever need
And that the promises I made were the promises I'd keep

I was shaking like a leaf
And soaking to the bone
But I swore to her that night
She'd never run alone

'Cause promises are all you've got to give
When you're burning with desire, but you're just a kid
And promises are all you want to hear
It don't matter that they're just going to disappear

They might only last a night
Then another one is born
They make you feel alive
Like you're worth a little more
That's what promises are for

She went to college, and we both fell out of touch
I got a job tending bar that didn't pay that much
I wonder if she met a guy to love her like I did
Or if she looked him in the eye and made a promise to him

I could never give her up
Not without looking back
When we gave ourselves away
I thought we made a pact

I've been taking stock while the days roll on
I think about her when the night gets calm
So what if we were young?
So what if I was wrong?
Well, I believed in her
And trusted all along

That's what promises are for