17 Muscles to Smile

it was only a smile, nothing more. it didn't make everything all right. it didn't put food on the table or protect them when i couldn't. it didn't open her eyes or heal her heart. it didn't stop me from crying in the bathroom or hating everything. it didn't make the pain disappear. it was only a smile, a tiny thing. so why did twitching a few muscles convince people i was fine?