Behind Closed Doors

I wake before the morning sun,

A practiced smile upon my face,

I greet the world,

the day begun,

And tuck my sorrow into place.

The mirror knows my secret ache,

It sees the shadows in my eyes,

But I have learned the moves to make,

The laughter used to mask disguise.

I walk among the bustling crowd,

A friend, a helper, always near,

My voice is bright,

my head is bowed

To keep the cracks from showing clear.

No one suspects the silent war

That rages quietly within,

The battles fought behind the door

Of skin and bone and fragile skin.

I tell the jokes, I play the part,

I nod and listen, share the cheer,

Yet all the while, my aching heart

Is screaming words no one can hear.

Behind closed doors,

the mask comes off,

The laughter fades,

the shoulders drop,

The tears I hide begin to fall,

And all pretense comes to a stop.

The world outside sees only light,

A beacon shining, strong and sure,

But in the quiet, out of sight,

I search for ways to just endure.

The pain is sharp, but silent still,

It weaves its way through every thought,

A shadow that I cannot kill,

A lesson life too harshly taught.

Yet every day,

I rise again,

And paint my courage on with care,

I face the world, conceal the pain,

And hope that someone, somewhere,

Might see the truth behind my smile,

Might sense the storm beneath the calm,

And offer comfort for a while,

A word, a touch, a healing balm.

But till that day,

I’ll play my role,

And carry burdens none can see,

For smiling through the silent tolls how I keep my dignity.

So if you see me shining bright,

Remember, pain wears many forms

And sometimes,

in the dead of night,

We’re fighting through our quiet storms.

Behind closed doors, we all are real

,No masks, no lies, just what we feel

And though the world may never know,

The silent pain we never show,

We find our strength in one more day,

And hope that healing finds its way.