smiley face

like the round, yellow sticker 

grade school teachers 

put on the papers of kids  

that were never me 

This fake happy is killing me.   

surrendering to it  

making me grimace 

or rather grin 

a grotesque smirk  

mocking my own feelings with this, 

this thing.  

I cannot cry forever though 

my tears have long since dried  

my heart long ago died 

you can't twist the knife any more  

there will be no reaction 

the pain only makes me smile now   

 evidence in this numb 

that I'm still alive  

everyone has their own demons  

but I am my own  

and the light I treasured  

once inside  

as I bleed out 

slowly flickers  

and dies.