UNDER THE SMILE

 Our smiles take the blows

The merciless world throws at us.

It’s the shield that never drops,

That never betrays us,

That keeps us standing.

We stay safe,

But trembling at even the possibility of an attack.

So scared to let anything near us,

That we push away our friends

Along with our foes.

Are we living, or just alive?

Our defense keeps away the monsters,

But it frightens away the good times, too.

We rely on our smiles

To protect us from our demons,

But sometimes their growls

Still filter through,

And reach our delicate ears.

Growls we aren’t ready to face.

And suddenly their claws reach under,

Taking advantage of our vulnerable situation,

And we are left with a choice.

Do we continue to quiver

Behind our ‘impenetrable’ armour,

Hiding our salty cheeks

And glistening eyes,

Standing alone.

Or do we let our guard drop?

And witness the paradise

That exists beyond our fears?

To give ourselves the chance to meet people,

To be happy,

To be hurt,

But to accept it as part of the cycle of life?

 

(Еmma Dimitrova, 13 years old, 01 /06/2022)