A cheery wave, always a smile, a look
that said that all was well, firm voice, eyes dry:
no hint of how much strain it took to try
to keep sad thoughts from seeping through. A book
is judged by its cover, so are we all.
Endure and give no sign of your distress.
Be stoic! Leave no clues! Let no-one guess
why, in private, so often tears fall.
To seem to be the one that others see
drains all strength, till unable to pretend
one moment more, these lives, exhausted, end.
Swift Death brings peace and long-desired release.
The public’s shocked, the show will not go on?
No, our play is over, this actor’s gone.