I smile like I am happy
I laugh as though I feel joy
I joke like I am jolly
But the reality is much dimmer

My heart is not filled with joy
My soul is not bubbling with love
When I look in the mirror, I cry
I feel so much emptiness
I only feel sadness and despair

The masks I wear keep me safe
They allow me to function
With in the constraints of society
Without my masks, I would be raw

My raw self is vulnerable
It can be beaten, hurt, and bruised
I can never allow that

Never let people know my weakness
I must be strong, at any cost
So I wear them, my many masks
Hiding the little girl afraid