Paul Laurence Dunbar
I wear a mask. A thousand masks
I carry on this endless track.
Yet not a single one of these
Reveals the person that is me.
I smile, I laugh, I shout with joy,
But under it all, I am a boy,
A boy whose dreams and hopes are hid
Within this cloak that I have slid.
I wear a mask of strength and might,
But inside I am filled with fright.
I wear a mask of love and grace,
But inside lies my darkest space.
A mask of kindness I display,
But inside, anger holds its sway.
A mask of confidence I wear,
But deep down, doubt fills the air.
I wear a mask each and every day,
But when will I reveal the true me?
The me that lies behind the mask,
The me that I so desperately ask?
I fear the day I take it off,
To show the world my naked soul.
For I am afraid of their cruel jest,
Afraid of being put to the test.
So I continue to wear my mask,
And hide behind this paper-thin task.
But one day, I dream that I will rise,
Above my fears, and meet my eyes.
And then the world will see the true me,
The person that I want to be.
No longer will I hide my face,
But stand up tall and take my place.
Till then, I'll wear my mask and play,
The role that's given me each day.
But somewhere, deep inside my soul,
The truth about me remains whole.