I Pretend To Smile.

Turn off the light.

There is no need to see
me hurt,
If ever I did
It was, for a while

Don't trouble yourself
There're people outside
Waiting, listening...
hovering over
the new roses,
I had planted last night

And then, roses have
thorns...
Should I have known?

What keeps you busy
Does not keep me busy
It keeps them,
those outside, busy

Come tomorrow
They'll ask me about
The dark patches
The sulk
The shame
In one word, the struggle.

And then, they'll say
'Lovely roses, no? '
'Do you mind?'
Go, go ahead.. I'd say
Watching them breath in
My shame,
My self, my hurt.

'Even roses aren't perfect,
you know,
they've got thorns'.