Pretend
The Weight Beneath the Smile
I feel like a fraud, like I’m living a lie,
Pretending to soar, but barely scraping the sky.
I act like I’m strong, like I know my way,
But inside, I’m lost, and the cracks betray.
I smile through tears, a mask I wear,
While you pretend to care, just to be fair.
I joke, I laugh, I play the clown,
But under it all, I’m breaking down.
No one broke my heart recently—it’s been broken forever,
I’m just trying to fix the damage, piece it together.
To clear the debris, to make some space,
For something new to find its place.
I thought I’d been hurt, thought I’d known pain,
But this feels deeper, a lasting stain.
Every small sting, it cuts so deep,
An ocean of feelings, too vast to keep.
So here I am, spilling my mind,
Trying to hold together what’s left to find.
This poem reflects the struggle of pretending to be okay while feeling broken inside. It’s about hiding pain behind smiles and laughter, dealing with overwhelming emotions, and trying to hold yourself together even when it feels impossible.
