Bruises Not Flowers

Lyrics

Verse 1
How can you say you love me
Then come home mean and sore?
You looked me in the eye, babe
And locked that kitchen door
Your hands were cold as gutter water
Your words were sharper than a knife
I wore your anger on my skin, love
Like I wore your lie

Pre-Chorus
I kept the peace for too long
Kept my mouth shut, kept my head low
But every sorry got smaller
Every night got hard to know

Chorus
Bruises, not flowers
That’s what you gave me
Bruises, not flowers
Now I see it plainly
You can’t call it love
When it leaves me bent and blue
Bruises, not flowers
I’m done with you

Verse 2
There’s a mark on my shoulder
And a crack in my trust
Your sweet talk turned to thunder
Turned my heart to rust
Mum said, “Love don’t bruise you”
And Nan said, “Leave that man”
So I packed my pride in a weekend bag
And took back my own hands

Pre-Chorus
I kept the peace for too long
Kept my mouth shut, kept my head low
But every sorry got smaller
Every night got hard to know

Chorus
Bruises, not flowers
That’s what you gave me
Bruises, not flowers
Now I see it plainly
You can’t call it love
When it leaves me bent and blue
Bruises, not flowers
I’m done with you

Bridge
I was never yours to break
Never yours to shake
You don’t get to call it love
When you make me ache
Now I’m standing in the daylight
With my boots back on the ground
What you tried to bury in me
Baby, look what I found

Chorus
Bruises, not flowers
That’s what you gave me
Bruises, not flowers
Now I see it plainly
You can’t call it love
When it leaves me bent and blue
Bruises, not flowers
I’m done with you

Outro
Bruises, not flowers
Not one more night
Bruises, not flowers
I’m taking back my life