You never tell. Just say I am ok

You never tell. Just say I am ok

You smile. You always do.

Say you’re fine, say it’s nothing,

when it’s everything.

Your head’s a fog

with lists you can’t finish

and names you forget

as soon as they’re said.

You’re tired down to the bone,

but still you nod,

still you show up,

like that’s enough

to mean you’re okay.

You laugh sometimes

just to stop the tears.

You’ve learned to shush the truth,

the ache, the mess, the years

stacked up with

no one asking what it cost.

Sadness sits quiet in the chest,

you never did get lucky

with who you trust.

The tears, flooding

dam’s always ready to burst

you feel it swell

but you swallow it down.

Can’t cry, can’t yell.

Shush. Don’t tell.

Show them you’re fine,

even if you’re chained in hell.

It’s been a lifetime

of “It’s alright”

when it wasn’t.

and still you smile.

why?

Because You don’t ever tell.