The Weight Of A Smile Poem by Frankline Shem O.

Frankline Shem O.

Frankline Shem O.

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Frankline Shem O.
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The Weight Of A Smile

I smiled at the mirror today.
It cracked.
I didn't.
My cheeks ache.
not from joy,
But from rehearsal.

You said—
"You always look so happy."
I said—
"Yeah."
Because grief
scares the guests.

Sometimes
I laugh so I don't bite my tongue.
Sometimes
I bite it anyway.

I've cried in public
with my teeth showing.
They smiled back.
They think smiles mean peace.
Mine is a cage.
They see treaties.
Mine's a muzzle.

I want to scream,
but I've made a career
out of being okay.

You ever hold back a flood
just to keep someone else dry?

Yeah.
That.

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
The poem unpacks the emotional labor behind the act of appearing okay, especially when masking grief or mental distress. Through raw metaphors and short, punctured lines, the poem captures the ache of smiling for others' comfort, even while breaking internally. It speaks to anyone who's ever weaponized joy to survive pain.
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Frankline Shem O.

Frankline Shem O.

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Frankline Shem O.
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