Where are the love song sentiments
The reluctant partings
The needful longings
The passionate reunions
The soul worshiping
The celebration of every tiny quirk or trait
The promises of lifetime comfort
The celebrations of loving someone as they are
For exactly who and what they are

The love songs lied and now all end in tears
One day, who you are will not be who they want you to be
And the same will be true as you look at them
There will be no celebration 
And you will wonder if there ever really was
I don't think there ever was

I think I was what was supposed to happen
Chosen to be cast in a role because I showed up to the audition
And no one else was qualified for the role
I learned the lines and the choreography
And it was good enough for a time
But good enough only gets you by for a time

I thought I really earned the part
That I embodied the role
That compliments were sincere
That the applause was genuine
But the flowers stopped coming at the end of the show

The costumes no longer fit
The auditorium is empty 
Or worse, filled with disappointment and resentment
But I cannot remove the makeup
No matter how hard I scrub
And I cannot leave the stage
Because the show must go on
So I repeat the same steps on the worn floor
The soulless smile failing to light my eyes
Enduring until the music ends

-gws