Let's Play Pretend

do you remember
when you were young
and you used to play
those games of
make believe

and how you pretended
to be the dragon
to be the knight
to be the princess

and for a while
you could be the
best version of yourself
(although you didn’t
know it then)

you were children
you knew deep down
it wasn’t true
that it was just
pretend

but now you’re older
it seems like pretending
is all you do

you put on a mask a
different one for
everybody
and you pretend to be
someone you’re not

you pretend you’re happy
pretend you’re okay
pretend you don’t cry yourself
to sleep some nights

because the truth is
no one likes you
unless you’re happy

or at least it seems
that way
to me

and i’m yet to find
someone to say
otherwise