The Mask Poem by Laura Carie Dalton

I’m hiding behind the mask
The mask of happiness
The mask of joy
When all else is falling apart

It hurts when I can’t be myself
All I want is to be truly happy
And yet, I can’t
Not with all this going on

Only a handful of people I trust
They are my brothers
I trust them with all my heart
It’s hard to trust others

This mask hurts my self-esteem
I hate this mask I put on everyday
I must wear it tho
If I don’t others will see me fall apart

This mask
The thing I hate
I want to throw it away
But, I’m afraid to do so

It keeps me safe
It keeps me secure
When things around me
Are going all wrong