and knew they couldn't turn away

until the break of day 

Friends who call and think they own

a piece of you and all you know

they think you're something that you're not

they want to take those things you've got

and those who think you know it all

are holding breaths to see you fall

there's no loving in their eyes

and it's not at all to your surprise

So you watch and you play the part

for ugly smiles and frozen hearts

and smile until it makes you sick

but avoiding combat's what you've picked

yes, you are learning much from that

the way you keep from talking back

and knowing you can't turn away

if they have more to say

The Pretty Boy of high school days

is haunting you in other ways

the twinkle in your eye remains

reminding you of sadder days

of days when girls who looked at you

were just the same as these days too

and lonely men asked "Pretty please?"

with nothing given just for free

Those of us who played the part

for little girls and lonely hearts

and smiled until we couldn't see

because we knew our laughter pleased

yes

those of us who played and learned

how salty tears of sadness burned

knew we couldn’t turn away

until the break of day

until

the break of day

Pretty Boy

When all the girls who look at you

are just the same as back in school

and women are a rarity

you'll say time hasn't changed it seems

and others cast their looks at you

not just the girls like back in school

but older men alone and sad

who look for sons they never had

There are those who played the part

for little girls and lonely hearts

and smiled until they couldn't see

because they knew their laughter pleased

yes, those who felt they learned from that

saw tears on either side in back

© Gerald Nicholas Simpson.  All rights reserved.