Winking Smiles

I always forget now
that they can't see the smile
whenever they wave
and my lips turn up in response

I've never been one
to communicate with my voice
joy is hard to put into words
without sounding too cheesy

I can never say the right things anyway
and when all the wrong things spill out
I wince at myself, grinning at my ineptness
twinkling eyes winking unknowingly

Oh, it's made for some awkward chuckling
when my left eye shuts of its own accord
and my thoughts run through circle mazes
why on Earth are they winking at me?

So when I see these strangers
as I guard the bikes outside the market
my smile turned solid blue
despite the scattered reminders, I forget

The masks fade away
as we wink at one another
not exchanging words, or even gestures
but an inside secret neither of us know