THE WEIGHT BEHIND THE SMILE

Mark Ejaka

Biography: A Nigerian poet and storyteller whose work celebrates African heritage, cultural rhythms, and the human spirit, exploring forgotten histories and decolonization through poetry and digital storytelling

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Mark Ejaka

Wednesday 12 November 2025

THE WEIGHT BEHIND THE SMILE

There was a time, not long ago,

When laughter bloomed with gentle glow

No need to pose, no need to try,

Each smile lit up like summer sky.

We danced through days with muddy feet,

Chasing dreams down childhood streets,

No bills to pay, no masks to wear,

Just joy and wind in tousled hair.

But now the world has grown so wide,

And we must learn to smile and hide

At desks, in crowds, through restless nights,

We dim our truth beneath the lights.

The lips still curve, the eyes still gleam,

But joy now feels like just a dream.

We grin through meetings, choke down pain,

And walk through sun, but feel the rain.

Oh, to go back if just a while,

To where each laugh was free of guile,

Where hearts were light, and love was loud,

Before the world taught us the shroud.

Yet here we are, and onward still,

With silent strength and iron will.

We fake the smile, but deep inside,

A child remains, who never lied.

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THE WEIGHT BEHIND THE SMILE

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