I'm wearing all my reasons

I’m bearing my teeth again
giving the cackling multitudes what they want
but it’s breaking me...
and these pieces are lying around
like leather stars
who’ve lost the will to shine

I’m riding this wave through
though I won’t do it for myself
I’ve got way too much riding on this wave
so I feel like a christmas tree
because I’m wearing all my reasons
like too many hooks latched on all around me
holding each decorative piece
and pulling my wounds open
just a tad more

I’m bleeding every word of this
but I’ll never scream
because if I start screaming then I’ll never stop
then all these reasons will think I don’t love them
and I’d rather keep bleeding until I dry out
the way an old oak dries out
(standing tall)
until pieces of it crumble away
leaving a trail of broken twigs
like so many memories
of what once stood
so strong