I Wear the Mask

You Take it Off

I wear the Mask to hide my eyes the mirror is my alibi if I twist and tuck just right I might erase the passing time adjust the bulb for perfect light voila, see I look just right I wear the Mask and that is life.

You know the Mask but shame me not You know my gray hairs and my heart You do not care for mirrored thoughts of wrinkles, shadows and the lot You know the Mask, You shame me not.

I wear the Mask the world is hard demand perfection, punish flaws whisper judgement, blades of saws work back and forth across my heart I wear the Mask I build the wall I laugh the laugh I talk the talk but you - all that is hard you turn it soft I wear the Mask, you take it off I wear the Mask, you take it off.

@takingmyownmedicine

We Wear the Mask is one of my favorite Paul Laurence Dunbar poems. I reworked it a bit to reflect one of my roles in life — to be a safe place for my spouse, where the Mask can come off. Not so many gray hairs and wrinkles yet, but they will come. . .and when they do, I’ll greet them with joy.