They say
How do you do it?
You said you're always hurting
And yet you look like
the world is yours for the taking.
You sing your songs and play your music
as if there's nothing wrong.
I can't believe you feel what you say you feel.
I tell them
I play pretend
every minute of every day.
You just put on a mask
and say everything's okay.
You smile at strangers
and laugh at their stories,
You say yes to invitations
and bask in their glories.
You're not alone, even when you want to
be part of the silence and the darkness
that's so familiar.
No.
That's for another time,
When no one is looking.
That's when you give in.
That's when you're drowning.
I tell them
I play pretend.
That's all I'm good at.
Anyway
