Happy Empty

she had a wonderful smile
(yes everyone said it was beautiful)
and she was always laughing
(a smile on our lips)
but somehow
beneath that
cheery face
there was pain.

pain in the thoughtless laughter
character in the mindless banter
love in the friendly impartiality shown to all she knew.

there was a hole
that she tried to fill
with making other people happy
but somehow
it was always there
black
(gaping)
empty
(hurting)
huge.

her insides
no different
than ours.