Porcelain Teeth

[Verse 1] Painted on a plastic grin (Learned that trick when I was ten) I laugh too loud, I shine too fake But never sleep without the shakes Stars would twitch behind my eyes Bed was soaked in silent cries I locked the door inside my head And dressed my ghost in pink instead [Pre-Chorus] You said, “You’re strong,” I said, “I know” But strength is just A puppet show And I’m the one Behind the strings Smiling through The awful things [Chorus] I wore light like armor Played brave in the dark But the silence was sharper Than a scream or a mark I buried the pieces Till I couldn’t pretend Now I’m bleeding at forty From a wound that won’t end [Verse 2] Love felt like a hallway trap Kisses crawled across my back Every touch a quiet scream I lost my body in a dream Would’ve told, but who believes A child wrapped in make-believes? I built a house on “I’m okay” But even steel can rot that way [Pre-Chorus] They said, “You’re fine” I said, “You’re right” And kept my war Behind the light With porcelain teeth And candy breath I danced around The taste of death [Chorus] I wore light like armor Played brave in the dark But the silence was sharper Than a scream or a mark I buried the pieces Till I couldn’t pretend Now I’m bleeding at forty From a wound that won’t end [Bridge] Don’t ask me why I ran from love Or flinched when I was seen When monsters look like people do You learn to not believe My shadow knows a thousand names My mirror learned to lie But in the crack beneath my grin A part of me still cries [Final Chorus - stripped down] I wore light like armor Played brave in the dark But trauma’s a whisper That carves through the heart I’m learning to gather What shattered back then Still bleeding at forty… But maybe I’ll mend