Grin and Bear It

I'd never let you witness
The pain that I am bearing
So I hide it from you with
This mask that I am wearing

The damage in my soul
Is, to you, a mystery
And as far as you're concerned
My troubles are all history

I fake my crooked smile
For you and only you
But what's stirring inside
You'd never construe

You're blissfully unaware
Of my defense mechanism
You don't even question my lack
Of usual pessimism

Now I finally live up to
Everybody's expectations
For the very simple price
Of bottling up frustrations

I hide from the world
In this sanguine shell
As I attempt to ignore the fact
That my life's a living hell