Welcome one, welcome all,
to this most porcelain of masquerades.
Do not fear the closing walls,
They'll only fold you if you stay.

"You look lovely," the hostess says,
though her eyes are glazed with hate.
She watches, reads my paper dress,
and I'm inclined to lie to fate.

It is these smiles that cut likes knives,
and when I cry, my tears run red.
And every laugh a laughing lie,
blood drips from masks and stains the thread.

You look to me, and ask to dance,
and though I wish to shy away,
there is no declining his advance,
and we dance the porcelain masquerade.

The dance, our dance, of damning steps,
and all the couples dance the same.
Cast the liars from the floor,
and have an empty masquerade.

I see my heart though porcelain glass,
and though I wish to run away,
this is the die that I have cast.
This mask that masks my masquerade.

Oh, how I wish to lose myself,
but 'tis the price for the heart's mistakes,
a bloodstained mask and closing walls,
that fold me in and then I stay.