You wanna know why I stand as tall as I do?
Why I look so proud?
Why I have this stupid mask up?
Why, even with all that, I look away when you look me in the eyes?
Because I don't
want you to see the real me.
Because I don't
want you to know how much I actually slouch.
I don't
want you to see how ashamed I am.
I don't
want you to see how broken I am underneath all this painted happiness.
Because you don't need to know all that I'm hiding,
Behind those eyes.
No matter how many times you ask,
I will not show you what's behind this mask.
I will not show you how unsure of myself I am,
How unconfident I am.
I will not show you the tears I've cried.
I will not show you my weak spots,
Because without this armor around me,
You can break me even more.
No matter how many times you ask,
I will not show you the me beneath the mask.
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<a href="https://www.storiesspace.com/stories/poetry/beneath-the-mask.aspx">Beneath The Mask</a>