Lies

You say you’re fine
a little too fast
before the thought
has time to catch you

You keep the option
that it might work
but you already know
which side you’re on

You don’t say it out loud
but you don’t forget it either

It’s a lie
not to fool anyone else
just to get through the day

You know it might all fall apart
and you say it anyway

You type the same question
into the search bar
looking for answers
that sound like permission

You skip the stories
where it didn’t work
scroll past the endings
that look like yours

It’s not hope
once it turns into habit

It’s a lie
not because you believe it
but because you need it

You know this way
has never fixed anything
and you keep walking it

It could work
it could fail
you keep hiding
between those words

That’s not standing still
that’s stepping back

It’s a lie
you tell yourself

You know it might all go wrong
and you hold onto it anyway

You’ll say you’re fine
again

But you know
doing this
has never made it better