The Pain Behind the Smile

The stars are sharp they pierce the dark night

A velvet curtain hides the heart from sight

Choking on laughter the bitter taste stays

Echoing silence paints my hollow days

A fragile mask the world cannot see past

Shadows of laughter that will never last

Grinning for cameras while my soul unwinds

Each smile a crack revealing twisted minds

The pain behind the smile lingers so unseen

A masterpiece of sorrow wrapped in make-believe sheen

My secrets hide in shadows my anguish tucked away

But the pain behind the smile is louder every day

Guilt like ashes settles on quiet skin

Every fake laugh marks another lost win

Tears fall inside where the world won't explore

But behind the smile lies a turf war's roar

The staged glow the practiced lines I rehearse

Behind every "I'm fine" a rehearsed curse

Silent screams ride the lines of my grin

Each smile a labyrinth I can't begin

The pain behind the smile lingers so unseen

A masterpiece of sorrow wrapped in make-believe sheen

My secrets hide in shadows my anguish tucked away

But the pain behind the smile is louder every day