Glow in the Gaps

[Verse 1] I polish each post till the glow feels real, every filter a shield I hold near When the room goes quiet, I line up my smile, the clock never sees the fear in here Pixels parade in flawless parade, likes rise like tides while I hide the gray Behind the screen I rehearse every scene, pretending the world is okay [Pre-Chorus] But the kettle keeps singing in the other room, and the rent keeps knocking at the door I map out a life in perfect pixels, while the real one rots at the core [Chorus] I’m a craftsman of avatars, threading truth through a velvet disguise Sculpting the surface where nobody looks, while the ruin I breathe slowly dies If you zoom in close you’ll see the cracks, but I smile and I say I’m alright I vow to hold the light just right, till the dawn rewrites my night [Verse 2] Every confession is edited, every flaw a footnote in the feed I blush at the glare of a well-timed gif, pretending I’m everything I’m not indeed Outside, the rain drums a patient knell, inside the heart keeps a stubborn hum I choreograph moments to mask the smell of the old life that’s come undone [Pre-Chorus] The doorbell sighs and the laundry bleeds color from the days that are gone I trade a truth for a like, a night for a virtual dawn [Chorus] I’m a craftsman of avatars, threading truth through a velvet disguise Sculpting the surface where nobody looks, while the ruin I breathe slowly dies If you zoom in close you’ll see the cracks, but I smile and I say I’m alright I vow to hold the light just right, till the dawn rewrites my night [Bridge] When the signal fades, I’ll face the weight I’ve born in silence long enough to bend If I shed this mask, would anyone be there, or would the real me break and end? [Chorus] I’m a craftsman of avatars, threading truth through a velvet disguise Sculpting the surface where nobody looks, while the ruin I breathe slowly dies If you zoom in close you’ll see the cracks, but I smile and I say I’m alright I vow to hold the light just right, till the dawn rewrites my night [Outro] Maybe tomorrow I’ll lay it bare, or perhaps I’ll carve a cleaner lie But for now I polish the glow I know, and watch the quiet kingdom rise high