Kiss Me Goodnight

You don't have to stand by me
         when you know that I'm wrong
You don't have to tolerate me
         when I come on too strong
You don't have to forgive me
         when I act out of spite
But always, kiss me goodnight.

You don't have to sing out with me
         when we go to a show
You don't have to come out with me
         anywhere you don't want to follow
You don't have to speak softly
         when we turn out the light
But always, kiss me goodnight.

Because it's your breath that I live for
from sundown to sunrise
And all our phrases in the daylight
are just a crazy disguise;
I can't promise our love will always
remain tender and true
But to further all our chances
this one thing I ask of you:

You don't have to lay down beside me
         when I'm feelin' alone
You don't have to battle knightly
         with all the demons I own
You don't have to love every poem
         that I can recite
But always, kiss me goodnight.

Because it's your breath that I live for
from sundown to sunrise
And all our phrases in the daylight
are just a crazy disguise;
I can't promise our love will always
remain tender and true
But to further all our chances
this one thing I ask of you:

You don't have to dream about me
         and pray that it never ends
You don't have to shelter my heart from
         the whole world 'til it mends
You don't have to hold me forever
         with all of your might
But always, kiss me goodnight.

© Rebecca Katz 2006