Beautiful Smile
"Hey! You have a beautiful smile," They say. "Thank you," I reply, Scoffing beneath the words. That’s me— The one with the smile Everyone admires. But I know the truth. I wear it like a shadow. It’s just a façade. Reality, that conniving bitch, Knows my secret: I hate myself. And somehow, That hate becomes my reason— A reason to smile at everyone, Even as my insides crumble. So, we struck a deal, The mask and I: It would smile for the world, While I wept in silence. "Stop smiling," I whispered to myself. "You look strange, Let the mask handle it." And so, This is the story Of my beautiful smile. © Ebube