Here comes the fire.
The results it reaps.
Here it is again,
Placebo week.

Where is the sugar
And comfort I seek?
Where did they go?
The words I would speak?

Here is the milk.
Is it body or brain?
Wrap me in silk.
Let the smooth soothe the pain.

Where is the jolt?
Here through the joint.
To explode or to bolt?
Well, exploding’s the point.

Here is the sorrow.
Now shifts to rage.
Call back tomorrow.
I can’t face the stage…

I’ve been through enough
to know silence can be louder than screams.
Enough to know
“I'm fine” usually means
I'm not.

I’ve had nights
where the weight got heavy,
but I held it anyway.
No applause.
No witness.
Just me
and the dark
playing tug-of-war with my peace.

But I never let go.
Even when I wanted to.

There’s a version of me
I used to mourn
the one before the heartbreak,
before the trust got shattered,
before I learned
people only love you
when it's easy.

Now I move slower,
but wiser.
I speak less,
but mean more.
I lost some friends,
but I found my spine.

The ink on my hand
ain’t decoration
it’s declaration.
Proof I’ve made it this far,
even if the road
was more cuts than comfort.

I don’t expect perfect anymore.
Just real.
Just effort.
Just peace that don’t ask me
to shrink to fit inside it.

I’m not healed,
but I’m healing.
Not fearless,
but brave.
Still got days
where I look in the mirror
and ask,
“Am I really built for this?”

And every time,
my reflection answers,
“You really are.”

A happy face I saw– unknown,
yet it felt so familiar,
like someone I have known,
That smile, that face,
why can't I forget?

Were you for real,
or just a dream
my waking eyes
happened to see?