the smile is gone

when the deal goes down,
things change.
the world is no longer what it once
was.
you see it in the eyes of
others.
they know just enough
to alter the course
of life.
what's hidden is out there
for all the world to see.
the light is on.
the curtain pulled back.
now what, she says. now what.
the deal is down,
there's no longer any
need for all of my masks,
the fake smile is gone.