The room is quiet but my pulse is loud, A hidden siren in a peaceful crowd. Every shadow knows the lines I hide, I wear a smile like armor on the outside. I fold my tremors into folded hands, Play the prophet like I’ve got a plan. But in the mirror there’s a different sky, It rains shrapnel every time I close my eyes. I’ve learned to breathe in the fallout, To stand when the floor gives way. You only see when the lights are on, You never hear what the silence says. This is my crown of quiet wars, A kingdom built on shaking ground. You see the still water in my eyes, Not the shells that still rain down. If pain is the crown I have to wear, Then I’ll hold my head up high. I’m not broken, I’m still here, Bleeding under a calm disguise. I trace the cracks behind a steady gaze, Turn panic into practiced plays. Every heartbeat feels like marching drums, But my voice stays soft when the nightmare comes. You call it strength that I don’t complain, You don’t see the color of the rain. I shake hands with every ghost I’ve made, Then laugh like I don’t know their names. I’ve walked through ash in a straight line, Made a home in the smoke and glare. You only touch what the surface shows, You never feel what is burning there. This is my crown of quiet wars, A kingdom built on shaking ground. You see the still water in my eyes, Not the shells that still rain down. If pain is the crown I have to wear, Then I’ll hold my head up high. I’m not broken, I’m still here, Bleeding under a calm disguise. If you hear thunder in my quiet, It’s every night I made it through. If you see light behind my eyelids, It’s every fire I walked into. So let the sirens sing in stereo, Let the strings pull every scar I own. If this is all I’ll ever carry, I’ll turn the wreckage into a throne. This is my crown of quiet wars, But the cracks are starting to shine. You’ll see the storm behind my eyes, When I stop holding back the sky. If pain is the crown I have to wear, Then watch me set it alight. I’m not broken, I’m still here, Screaming under my quiet wars. When the echoes fade and the lights go down, If all that’s left is a shaking sound, Know every breath was a silent fight— I made a life out of staying alive.
