I smile widely;
The perfect painted face.
A masterpiece in lies and my empty...
Grace.
They cheer my name with hollow...
Sometimes echoing cries.
But none ever look behind my eyes;

I dance on strings...
Most cannot see.
A marionette of
praise!
And mockery...
Their love is loud;
So loud it drowns out the truth.
That I am rotting...
In this gilded youth.

Each compliment;
A blade in silk disguise.
They worship masks!
And never ask me "why?"
I laugh the way they taught me to;
on cue,
A polished joy that's never really...
true.

The crowd adores!
The lights are always on.
But no one sees the parts of me that are so...
long gone.
I am happy—yes!
It’s what they need from me;
But love this loud can be a cage... You see?

So clap again!
pretend I shine so bright!
While I dissolve beneath...
The neon lights.
I am happy...
Because they all believe—
And that's the lie I’ll never let them grieve.