Behind my smile

I was just a kid with secrets way too big

Learned how to cry quiet, how to close the lid

Tried to tell the truth, but the truth got lost

Mama looked away, couldn’t bear the cost

Kept my lips sealed so my sister could be free

Took the pain so she wouldn’t end up like me

Every night I prayed it’d all just go away

But morning came, and I had to stay

Behind my smile, there’s a war I survived

Hurt in my bones, but I still kept the light

Put on a face like everything’s alright

When I was breaking every single night

I carried the silence, the weight, the denial

Still played the part, still walked the mile

But no one ever saw the truth behind my smile

Laughin’ with my friends, but I was miles away

Talkin’ like I’m fine, dying every day

Wanted to scream, but I just shut down

In a world full of people, I nearly drowned

Tried to disappear without a sound

Thought maybe peace was six feet underground

But somehow I held on, though I don’t know why

Guess even the broken still reach for the sky

Behind my smile, there’s a war I survived

Hurt in my bones, but I still kept the light

Put on a face like everything’s alright

When I was breaking every single night

I carried the silence, the weight, the denial

Still played the part, still walked the mile

But no one ever saw the truth behind my smile

Now I’m older, still healing the past

Some scars fade slow, some pain will last

But my voice is mine, and I won’t be small

I was never weak—I’ve been strong through it all

Behind my smile was a fight to stay

To live one more night, to make it to today

I wore my mask just to make it through

But now I’m done hiding—this is my truth

I carried the silence, the shame, the denial

But I’m finding my peace, step by step, mile by mile

And I’m done hiding the truth behind my smile