The sparkle in her eyes held joy.
The warmth in her cheeks held life.
But the wide smile beaming across her face
Was nothing more than a mere façade.

Hidden behind her joyful mask
Confined within the palisades of shame
Lingered a fragile porcelain soul
Consumed with grief and pain.

Not once did her smile drop
Not once did she dwell in distress
For greater than the weakness inside
Was the dignity she possessed.

Her mesmerising laughter echoed throughout the day
knowing her sobs would return that night again.
With tear-stained cheeks she lay in her bed
Millions of thoughts rushing through her head.

Every morning she woke with a smile
But through her eyes you could see her soul.
Held together with strings of pride
She refused to reveal the happiness they stole

She lived her life giving so much
Her deepest wish to please them all.
Living a life that was not real
Her strong façade began to fall.

Her hopes and dreams had disappeared
Reality becoming all she had feared.
As time went by her flame started to dim
And the chances of her survival were looking quite slim.

She stared into the distance with dead eyes
Wondering if they’d care enough to say goodbye.
With a deep sigh she accepted the truth
Deciding to end it all despite her youth.

With a pen she decided to finally confess
Why she had to escape this mess.
Folding the note she left it there
Hoping that someone might just care.

Emptiness had consumed her frail soul
And after one last sigh she fell into the hole.
Darkness encircled her falling figure
As she faded away and pulled the trigger.

Her arms were thin and bony
Her skin – pale as death
The sparkle her green eyes had once held
Disappeared as she took her last breath.