Briana M

My smile hides my tears.
My laugh hides my screams.
It's been this way for years.
Things aren't as they seem.

I always seem so happy.
With not a care in the world.
But you should know, sadly
Many things go untold.

Nobody really knows me.
They only know my cover.
But I wish I could let it free.
Let them know what's under.

But instead, I practice
My smiles in the mirror.
Then the next thing I do is
Make my fake laugh clearer.

What is wrong? You need help?
Is all they will ask.
So I have decided
To live behind a mask.

You only see
What you want to see,
Letting other things pass you blindly.

You only hear
What you want to hear,
Ignoring the rest
Without thinking.

So how can you say
You know it's not true,
When so many things
Never get through?

But what if I somehow
Made you pay attention,
Told you all of the things you never heard?

Made you stop
And listen?

If I told you of all those times
I silently cried at night,
What if I told you of all the hurt
That painfully resides inside?

Would it reach your ears?
Would you really care?
Or would you still treat me
Like I'm not even there?

And what if I made you see
Everything you've missed?
Like the scars on my arms and legs
But by you
Get dismissed.

What if I showed you
My heart slowly breaking,
Would you notice it's years in the making?

All of the tears
And all of the pain,
You never noticed.
No, you never hear.

Maybe it's time
That you realize
What's been going on
Right in front of your eyes.