The Toll It Takes

There's a sentence they gave me
Then one that remains unchanging
Like skin that's burnt by frost, it'll peel if I pull away
It hurts to hold or let go as I'm trying to sustain
Like feeling hunger pangs and eating bone to stay alive
It tears me apart inside, but it seems like the better way to get by

Like a broken hourglass, they fell
Cutting sand through my fingers down the deepest well

I know the toll it takes
But I won't let you go
The past I can't replace is all that you'll ever know
There is no turning back
I can't fix what I broke
The past I can't replace is all that you'll ever know

You're a part of me that I may never be able to repair
Like a lung that's collapsed
I'll always know that you're still there
Always surrounding my heart
Even if it rejects air

I know the toll it takes
But I won't let you go
The past I can't replace is all that you'll ever know
There is no turning back
I can't fix what I broke
The past I can't replace is all that you'll ever know

The true sentence I still face is one I brought upon myself

Lost in a dark cell
They said it's easiest
Just to numb yourself and let go
But these open wounds will forever feel fresh
And I refuse to let them close yet

I know the toll it takes
But I won't let you go
The past I can't replace is all that you'll ever know
There is no turning back
I can't fix what I broke
The past I can't replace is all that you'll ever know

I know the toll it takes
But I won't let you go