Stand up.
Strong and proud.
Follow no crowd.
Look at them
Straight, eye to eye.
Show no fear,
No pain, nor sadness,
No regret, nor jealousy.
Hide every emotion
For they show your weakness.
Endure the pain
For it will not last.
Endure the pain
For when the day ends
So as all your pretense.
Because when you're
In bed—sleeping
You can remove the mask
And cry—silently
And shed a tear—a lone tear
For at the end
you can finally remove
The mask that you abhor
But for now, endure
Smile to hide the pain
Smile away your regrets
Smile away the fear,
The sadness
Smile until nothing
Hurts anymore
Smile until you
Make them believe
Smile until you
Make yourself believe
Because there will be
a time when
You won't need
A mask anymore
So until then
Endure. . .
