Beneath the surface, shadows play,
In silence, hearts and minds do sway.
We fashion masks with careful care,
To hide the truths we cannot share.
In mirrored halls of social grace,
We paint a smile upon our face.
Each brushstroke hides a deeper fear,
Of judgment harsh and scorn severe.
Behind the eyes, a storm resides,
Of dreams and doubts and wounds and prides.
Yet outwardly, we seem serene,
A perfect mask, a crafted sheen.
We dance the dance of fitting in,
A masquerade where truth grows thin.
In whispers soft, we dare not speak,
The secrets that our hearts do keep.
We fear the world’s discerning gaze,
Its verdicts cast in unkind ways.
So we conform, our spirits bend,
To gain acceptance, to pretend.
But in the quiet, late at night,
When masks are shed in pale moonlight,
We face ourselves, and see the scars,
The cost of living behind bars.
For only when we dare reveal,
Our truest selves, can wounds begin to heal.
With hearts unmasked, and spirits true,
We find the courage to be free.
