Braille
Paul Travis Lyrics
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it shells my sweetheart
the one that's everything I've never known
who sews my arms that carry indentations
while completely cavalier about her own
You can feel through my pores
your name in braille
sailing in my veins
I'm the candle you leave lit in hopes that
you burn my hesitation to the ground
When it comes to being loved without permission
I smother every spark 'til I go out
You can feel through my pores
your name in braille
You're the vessel I found
sailing in my veins
I am welded
to the freckles of your arm
to your voice inside the dark
You are the scriptures our fathers wrote
upon the holy stone
You're the map back to my home
I am welded to your arm
You can feel through my pores
your name in braille
You're the vessel I found
sailing in my veins
You're the braille.
The song Braille by Paul Travis is a heartfelt and poetic tribute to someone he deeply loves, but who he feels he doesn't deserve. The first verse expresses how he sees his sweetheart's skin as something delicate and precious, whereas he sees his own arms as carrying scars and imperfections. He feels that she is everything he has never known, and yet she is cavalier about her own flaws. He also describes how his pores seem to spell out her name in braille, which is a beautiful metaphor for how deeply he feels her presence.
In the following verse, Paul Travis describes how he sees his lover as the vessel that he has discovered, sailing through his veins. He feels that she is the light that will burn away his hesitation and allow him to fully love her. However, he admits that he has a tendency to smother his own desires and feelings, which leaves him feeling extinguished.
In the final verse, Paul Travis draws on religious imagery to describe his lover as something sacred and holy. He feels that he is welded to her arm, and that her voice in the dark is a shining beacon for him. He sees her as the map that will lead him back to his true home. The final line, "You're the braille," brings the song full circle, as he acknowledges that the essence of his lover is something that he can touch and feel, even if he cannot see it.
Line by Line Meaning
Be kind to your skin-
Taking care of your outer self is important to me.
it shells my sweetheart
Your skin is like a protective armor for my loved one.
the one that's everything I've never known
My love for you is so pure and new that it's unlike anything I've experienced before.
who sews my arms that carry indentations
You are there to mend my wounds and make me feel whole again.
while completely cavalier about her own
You don't care about your own needs as much as you do about mine.
You can feel through my pores
My love is so strong that you can sense it without even touching me.
your name in braille
You are permanently etched into my being, like a tactile language that I can read with my skin.
You're the vessel I found
You make me feel complete and navigate me through life.
sailing in my veins
You run through my blood and are an integral part of who I am.
I'm the candle you leave lit in hopes that
I am waiting for you to come back to me, ready to give you warmth and light again.
you burn my hesitation to the ground
Your presence gives me the courage to face my fears and doubts head-on.
When it comes to being loved without permission
Even if you don't want it, I will still love you unconditionally.
I smother every spark 'til I go out
I try to subdue my own emotions in order to give you space to be yourself.
I am welded
We are permanent and inseparable.
to the freckles of your arm
Even the smallest details of your physical being are important to me.
to your voice inside the dark
Your words echo in my mind even when I can't see you.
You are the scriptures our fathers wrote
Our love story is timeless and written in the history of our families.
upon the holy stone
Our love is sacred and unbreakable.
You're the map back to my home
You guide me back to where I feel most comfortable and secure.
You're the braille.
You are the language that I can read with every sense of my being, and I will always feel you.
Contributed by Riley T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Zina Thebee
Magnifique 🎶😍