A Little Poetry Can't Hurt

Masquerade

Masquerade

Weak,

needy,

selfish,

too emotional,

desperate,

adjectives that you describe yourself with.

You look at your best aspects,

and destroy them,

until they look like a crumpled piece of paper

not the beautiful picture that you are.

Weak,

you must shut out everything

that you loved more than anything.

You must stand tall,

take the blows which leave mortal wounds,

not flinching,

not letting anyone know the pain

which fills your whole mind and body,

which echoes around this now empty cavern

with empty veins, and hollow bones.

Better to give the appearance of a cold-hearted person,

than to let them know who you are inside.

Needy,

never again

will you share your thoughts.

Telling them will make it worse.

You can never ask for them to share your pain,

because you are asking too much.

Selfish,

you take to much,

and give nothing back.

You may not cry,

for when grief from loss fills your entire body,

it is not for the person no longer being on this earth,

it is for yourself having to cope without them.

You may never wish for them

to be by your side again,

they are better off

without your tainted soul to occupy their time.

You may not feel pain,

or sadness,

people have it worse than you.

They deserve everything more than you do.

So you never assert yourself,

never take from the golden platter,

in case there is someone who needs,

even wants it more than you.

Too emotional,

crying is not an option.

You will only force your problems

onto the shoulders of others,

and break their backs with your heavy heart.

You may never feel rage,

because you don't want to be a psycho.

Desperate,

never can you feel amorous for another

who does not share your feelings.

Flirting is not allowed,

they will never be interested,

you are forcing yourself upon them.

And you must never ask for something,

even when it is your life on the line.

Well let me tell you something.

You are not weak,

needy,

selfish,

too emotional,

and desperate.

You are human.

You are not alone in feeling

odd,

unwanted,

abnormal,

so different from the rest.

When you see the people around you,

listen in on the words

which echo loudly through their minds.

I'm weak,

I'm needy,

I'm selfish,

I'm too emotional,

I'm desperate.

They put on these masks,

painted with strength,

with self preservation,

with generosity,

with calm expressions,

with confidence.

We all put on our false faces for each other,

no clue

that there was nothing on the invited that said

"masks required".

So what are we,

when the masquerade ball ends?

We are in fact strong,

even if sometimes you need a shoulder to lean on,

a helping hand,

someone to draw you from the darkness.

We are in fact prosperous,

with the help of each other.

We are in fact full of gifts,

both big and small,

for everyone we ever meet.

We are in fact all full of elation,

misery,

malice,

venom,

fright,

energy,

lust,

love.

We are in fact allowed to be bold,

determined,

scandalous,

foolhardy,

audacious,

to say "screw it all".

Never let

what you think you should be

inhibit the beauty

that you are.