Conscientia

It begins in the morning,
and never leaves you alone.

The lips, they try to hide,
before the eyes give it away.
But they try anyway.
(Just between you and me- I know.)

The smile, contrived, is a stretch.
Here and there, everywhere,
a rehearsal.
All the world's a stage.
You think- is this what he meant?
(Between you and me, I know.)

The faces, calculative.
Words- measured, misunderstood.
Pride, envy, lust-
four sins too less.
Needless.
(Between you and me, I know.)

The concern, feigned.
Unnecessary, no?
No.
For we be civilized.
See, we lied.
(Just between you and me, I know.)

The presumptuous shenanigans.
Stories, the lot of them.
Then pretending they believe.
He, hers.
She, his.
(Between you and me, I know.)

The little tricks they play,
learning from one another, growing up,
thinking it's magic.
What is amusing isn't the fact
that they think it is being clever.
It is that they think it works.

But we don't talk about this-
the elephant in the room-
with them.
For that is how we fit in, isn't it?
(Just between you and me- I know.)

Why curse the elephant though,
when it is really about us?

And so once I chose,
to not dance and closed my eyes instead,
to pay attention to the music.
But there wasn't any!

Asleep or awake,
between you and me,
I was alone.