Bliss

She lives and laughs until she cries
But love-heart shades hide ember eyes
In sunlit selfies, teeth and tan
A garish drink, a well-toned man
But when the sun has turned its back
And shadow sharpens its attack
Her muscle memory kicks in
To lacerate her paper skin
She reads the words that fathers, husbands, sons and brothers said
But there's no knowing what is going on inside another head
She is a ghost, she's an echo
And they can't help if they don't know
But the day is coming

Soon she'll be bare and unknown
On a walk in the park in the dark all alone
Her key's in her bag, her earbuds full blast
To drown out the birds, disposition downcast
And she'll call it bliss

They said beware of strangers, but now that's all we are
Rolling real-time autofiction, reveries with avatars
I'm what I think you think I am
The same voice sings a different song
A hundred billion neurons making it up as they go along
I don't know what you know, I know what I believe
I know what I can give
But I don't know what you receive

The knives are sharpened, pistols drawn
The boys warm up and flex their brawn
Soon hearts are broken, points are scored
It's just some banter when they're bored
They've always been there, they're not new
But now they've got a good venue
Let's hope the day is coming

When you'll be bare and unknown
On a walk in the park in the dark all alone
Your key's in your bag, your earbuds full blast
To drown out the birds, disposition downcast
And you will call it bliss

Cowards under camouflage
Lobbing hate-bombs, hurling jeers
Faceless brutes and bigots
Revealing all their boyhood fears
Hostility, fragility
Rejected, vengeful tattletales
We built another world
But history and hate prevail