The Spotlight Effect

At the party, I felt it swell,

an urge to break free, to sing a song,

with every note, I hoped to quell

the haunting silence that felt so wrong.

Laughter erupted, applause rang true,

but the joy slipped away, hollow and light,

what once felt so vibrant now feels askew,

like echoes that linger in the dark of night.

An empty glass weighs heavy in hand,

its reflection, a ghost of who I was,

chasing the thrill of the crowd's command,

yet left with a taste of fleeting applause.