"ON"

Psychiatrists and counselors Therapists and 'Peers' Seem to look on us as curs Living off our fears

They see when our depression's gone And we're talking with a friend Not realizing that our switch is "On" And our smile is all pretend

We show our teeth and twinkle eyes In lobbies or waiting rooms That's where the VA has their spies Ready to drop the booms

They say "You're cured! We saw you laugh!" Our denials then are spurred From every VA staff

They don't know we have a switch We turn daily "on" for friends But in sessions and at home we twitch And our depression never ends

We flip a switch so no one sees The pain we really have It's all an act for our friends to please Kind of like a calming salve

We turn "On" so we don't flip A switch that's deep within That one will take us on a trip Of where we’ve seen and been

We turn "On" and smile and wave Shake hands with all we see But deep inside in our dark cave There lurks the enemy

It waits until our switch is 'Off"ed Till beaten down we lay Exhausted by the smiles we doffed Then attacks like we're a prey

It beats us down and wears us out As we lay there in our beds But that's not seen by those with "clout" Who prescribe us all our meds

They only see the switch that's "On" In our public face we show Not realizing that our pain has gone To a place we dare not go

So don't believe our smile and grin It's just a switch we flip To avoid remembering where we've been Please Don't take away our 'scrip