They are not lies, you understand,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ but carefully navigated truths...⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ this edited life of mine on display.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Curated and gauzed,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ trimmed and snipped.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ A reality made hazy ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ and smudged at the edges.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Images of buccal cheeks⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ gnarled by nightime worry,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Standing on imagined beaches, ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ waiting for a tsunami of grief for people ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ not yet gone,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ to hit.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ These are things that will not make it to my wall.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Neither will the stones I carry in the pit of my stomach sometimes,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ where babies have slept in deathly slumber. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣ The fear and shame⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ at plans gone wrong.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ The words, unwritten.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ The things not done.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ The skeleton whispers⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ (they sometimes shout). ⁣⁣ ⁣⁣ Or titles bestowed upon me, ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ against my will and wishes.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Divorced Motherless⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Anxious⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Failed⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ Oh no, these things will not be advertised here, my friends.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ I shake them off with a philosophical smile,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ turning to ‘Aden’ or ‘Crema’ to ease my woes,⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣ and simply ⁣ adjust the darkness.⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣