Happiness

Inspired when I came across some family photos from my troubled childhood.

Smiles in photographs,
are cracks in the mask I wear,
Through which dead eyes peer,
A lie imortalized in time,
So that others will think I'm fine,
If they knew, there could be no escape,
No hiding from my reality,
The greatest lie is the one I tell myself,
Everything will be alright

 

It is said time heals all things,
When it only numbs the wound,
and makes the memories murky,
Yet the storm has passed,
There is a question that must be asked,
Does everyone wear a mask?
Is happiness a lie? Does it even exist?

Author's Note

I'm a very novice writer. As I take the time to improve I'd like to learn more about the form and rules of poetry. For now this poem is without any form, really. I'm primarily concerned with the message, that the feelings and thoughts I want to express are there.