Black Box

The Actor

You smile down at me
With your lips curved in a practiced way
Your voice utters words
Smooth as a silken ribbon
You hide all the tell-tale signs
That you have rehearsed every line
Your aqua blue eyes glimmer
With the promise of honesty
As you tell yet another lie

I should have known
You were too good to be true
You look at me
But see straight through
The blinding light
Staring vacantly into a breathing sea of nothingness
Waiting patiently for the little jingle
Of change filling your pocket
Drawn from the empty sea before you

Your voice has switched
From silk to a gravel pitch
Your once steady hands have begun to quiver
As a crimson stain begins to bloom
On the front of your snow-white shirt
Swaying back and forth
You sink to your knees

As true pain floods your lying eyes
And everyone you never bothered to see
Sits and waits for the scene to change
Clapping as you slowly waste away

The curtain closes
As you lay in a shaking heap
On the polished stage
Vacant eyes stare out at the curtain folds
Hoping to be saved
Of your once blazing flame
Only a weak flicker remains