congratulations
you survived
even though you know you died
somewhere not so deep inside
every time you seemed to thrive
beneath the smile
beneath the lies
behind the mute
the smile and nod
the “understood”
the stance you clawed
there was a dream
you thought you had
a chance at meaning
a wish gone bad
but now you see
what never was
and masquerades of just because
delusions of a dumb applause
echo from the silence now
a truth that hurts
but must allow
your eyes to open
your soul to see
that you survived the misery
the dream, the hoped identity
no matter now, it wasn’t me
maybe it was all contrived
who really cares?
I survived.