Dominic Black's "Lies" is a raw, unfiltered look at someone who feels stuck in regret. The speaker is stressed and sad, and keeps second-guessing their choices. They wonder whether they made things worse and whether their pain is a kind of punishment or curse. The questions pile up, and none of them get answered.
The imagery gets darker and stranger as it goes. The speaker wishes they could swallow the pain, burn their organs to ash, and sell their feelings on the black market to buy new ones. Frustrations become chains that hold them down, and they ask if it's wrong to want to forget.
The final stanza explains the title. People send "meaningful messages and hugs," but nothing comes back, or only empty replies. The speaker realizes the comfort they relied on was hollow. The mood is anxious, tired, and lonely, with a bitter sting at the end.