I’ve practiced this smile so perfectly now,

Each muscle knows its place,

A choreographed dance of fine tuned lies,

That never leaves a trace.

Behind these lips, a storm rages on,

A darkness none can see,

While they all praise how well I seem,

I’m drowning endlessly.

Remember when laughter wasn’t rehearsed?

When joy wasn’t made of glass?

Before I built these paper walls,

Android learned to let things pass?

I miss the person I used to be,

Before the masks took hold-

When tears could fall without excuse,

And truth didn’t need to be sold.

God, I’m tired of this performance,

This daily masquerade.

I want to tear these curtains down,

Let fall this false charade.

Somewhere beneath these practiced smiles,

These shields I’ve learned to wear,

There’s still a heart that beats for truth,

A soul that longs to dare.

To be myself- just once again,

To breathe without this weight,

To feel the freedom of my truth,

Before it’s to late.

So here I stand behind this smile,

That everyone thinks they know,

Wondering if I’ll find the strength,

To finally let it go.