Loved, But Leaving

They think I’m healing – they clap for the fight,
But they don’t see the war I wage at night.
They love their story, the brave little win,
While I keep the purge and the hunger within.

They hug me tighter, say, “You seem so light,”
They mean my spirit, I mean my bite.
I smile so they can keep that view,
Because if they knew the truth, they’d see it’s not true.

I love them fiercely, but I can’t let them see,
The part that still whispers, “Don’t set yourself free.”
They’d treat me different, wrap me in care,
And I can’t stand the weight of their worried stare.

So I laugh at the right time, nod when they cheer,
Hide all the moments I disappear.
I’m shrinking in silence, pound by pound,
Smiling so no one will hear the sound.

And it’s easy to fade when they’re proud of the glow,
When they only see the parts I show.
They think I’m better – that’s what they believe,
But I’m loved by them, while I quietly leave.