Mask

I speak;
no one hears me.
i try to be seen;
but remain in the shadows.
emotions bottled up inside
with nowhere to pour them out,
with no one to listen,
with no one to understand.
outside, all they see are smiles-
a facade of happiness; just another charade.
but they don't know
and perhaps they never will.
and so i put on my smiling mask
as i walk out to face the day.