As children
We learn
That smiles are only
Upside down frowns
The absence of sadness
Rather than the presence of joy

In middle school
The faltering grins
Become even more fake
Once we realize
That the appearance of bliss
Is just as convincing as
The real thing

Then during adolescence
Masks are constructed
Using a forcedly cheerful expression
To hide
The trails of hot tears
The pretty little lines under long sleeves
The hollow cheeks and ribs and collarbones
The terrified surrender to sweet liars
The truth

We spend our whole lives
Pretending not to be miserable
That it’s no wonder the people watching
Do not
Can not
Believe the genuine smiles
On the faces of our
Finally happy
Corpses