you try to hide
the thoughts that
slowly creep in
take deep breaths
keep your face calm
but your eyes
always give you away
you smile and nod
no one knows
what is happening
on the inside
of your mind
others see the illusion
of perfection and joy
not the torment inside
burning like a hot coal
you say
everything is great
you say
nothing is wrong
you say
i am just tired
but never say
what you are tired of
death by a thousand cuts
comments spoken then forgotten
but not by you
you remember them all
tally them up
like emotional currency
your bank account
is in the red
when you ask
for your needs
to be met
there are conditions
you give and give
they take and take
occasionally throwing
you scraps of validation
at your feet but
it isn’t enough
to live on
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illusion by Idgie Stark is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Idgie Stark 