Pretend Poem by Richard Betts

We keep your secrets
And all your sins,
Close to ourselves
And away from him.

We watch you fib
About where you've been.
And see you smile
That liar's grin.

You choke on his chains
Of wedding band gold,
And feel the strain
Of his stranglehold.

You lick your lips
And spit out lies.
Spend time with friends
You say you despise.

You play the part
Of the circus clown;
That big, loud laugh
And your sarcastic frown.

You hate the way
He makes you feel.
All that you lost
And the things you let him steal.

We watch you take
That long, slow slide.
See you swallow
The last of your pride.

Sometimes secrets are
Hard to defend.
So you lie to
Yourself and pretend.