Smiles and Shields

All the smiles

Of those around me

All the smiles

Of the fakes

I look around for a frown

But there are none

I look around at all the people

And wonder why they smile

Then I realize

I’m one of them

I go around smiling

Using the smile as a shield

A shield from the pain

And as a disguise

I smile so everyone thinks

I’m ok.

So that no one will see the pain.

And I wonder if everyone

Uses smiles to hide the pain.

If everyone

Is a fake.

Smiles and Shields

Both are the same

Everyone hides behind them

For protection from the pain.