Empty Smiles

It's when we smile to hide our pain;
that's when we seem the strongest,
that's when we allow ourselves to be carefree;
those are the times we are our weakest,
those are the times we'll come to regret,
those are the times we might rather stare death in the face.
These masks may hide ourselves from others,
these masks may be the ones we use to hide from ourselves.
Sadly, I know that they don't last,
when we make it out of prying eyes,
we carefully, slowly, remove them.
If we don't in one instant they shatter.
Then we are completely naked to the cruel truths,
staring us in broken mirrors,
shining brightly from once smooth skin.
These are the times we are most accustomed to,
these are the times we've come to know as home;
home may be where the heart dwells,
but that heart is broken, and shattered'
that heart is so cold and wanting,
unwilling to cry for help,
knowing that once it receives,
it wil just hurt more when it's gone.