The painted smile
Fulfills its purpose
Masks the truth.
The roar inside him
Rattles the lipstick red cage.
Holding in
          The dark thoughts that fly
Swarm like wasps
At the ready
To inject
Thoughts of self-inflicted pain into his mind.
       Today one broke out, stalked his brain.
             Like a cheetah stealthy approaching
             Its prey.
It pounces
Stinger first
Bang! It pierces
Injecting more darkness.
He collapses in the bathroom by the
      Toilet.
Paint on the seat
Smeared like faded crayons in a child’s coloring book.

No one notices
The door stays shut.