the mask
I wear it like armor,
a curve of lips,
a flash of teeth—
the performance of happiness.
They see the smile,
bright, easy, unbroken.
They never see the trembling
in the silence behind it,
the storm that claws
at the edges of my ribs.
Every laugh I give
is stitched together
with threads of pain
I dare not unravel.
If they saw the truth—
the cracks,
the weight—
would they stay?
Or would they run?
So I hide it.
Because it’s easier
to be “fine”
than to be
a burden.
And yet,
when the mask slips
in the quiet of my own room,
the tears remind me
how much it costs
to smile so beautifully
while breaking so completely.
@honestKiwi8724
Enthralling.
Flowing.
The pain of pretending.
You wear the mask for so long, you forget how to remove it .
It threatens to become your constant!
Yet, in those tiny moments, when you take it off, someone sees you, it's worth continuing to strive!
Thank you for sharing!
💜🥰
@honestKiwi8724
This is my kind of poem, thanks for daring to open it up.
Very Plath-esque, i dare say.