Dark Poetry for Dark People

Fine

It's as you swallow the sobs

And paint over your hurt,

When you apply the stage makeup,

And try to scrub away the dirt.

 *

And you carefully clean yourself

With meticulous routine,

And arrange your expression

Into something happy, free, and clean.

 *

And you convince yourself relentlessly

That you're okay, you're fine,

You're not broken, jumbled and chaotic,

You've got a smooth, uncracked design.

 *

You don't cry yourself to sleep each night,

Your eyes aren't tired things,

You don't live with strain and tension,

Your heart's not coiled springs.

 *

You're just jolly, dandy, fine,

You're as happy as can be,

And you're not yearning and pleading

'I wish I was anyone but me...'