I Wear the Mask

Eyes stained red,
throat feels sore,
face is swollen.

Time to paint the smile
that should be placed
on this troubled face.

Eyes beam with kindness,
mouth now explodes with laughter,
and face peels back into a smile.

The world believes her lie.
The world thinks she's intoxicated with joy.
The world just knows she's on a natural high.

She feels sadistically victorious
over them.
When will she learn?
When will the paint fade away?