I’ve been practicing my smile in the mirror again, The one I’ll use when the questions begin. They say I’m fine, I nod and stay still, ’Cause calm looks crazy when you fake the chill. I said I’m not insane — they wrote that down, Each key a verdict, slow and loud. But if I whisper “maybe,” they laugh and agree, And suddenly I’m normal, almost free. Truth comes down to tone and timing, Lies just wear a face that fits. I talk myself in circles, Till the edges don’t exist. I laugh on cue, I stay composed, Sanity’s a thread I’ve sewn. I hold it tight so it won’t fray, We’re all one symptom away. They watch my hands when I start to speak, They write down pauses, think I’m weak. I laugh too late, or maybe too soon, Every mood a different room. Maybe the mirror’s the one that lies, Maybe I’m sane in disguise. I bite my lip till I taste red, Just to feel control instead. I laugh on cue, I stay composed, Sanity’s a thread I’ve sewn. I hold it tight so it won’t fray, We’re all one symptom away. The door clicks shut, their voices fade, As my heartbeat drums, I walk away. I pass a window, catch my face, Still practicing, just in case. The air feels sharp, the daylight stings, I breathe once, twice — then start to run.
