I look at the mirror in the morning
The reflection is hideous to me
It makes my stomach churn
And so I put on my mask

I look like a Harlequin
Filling the role is requisite
People laugh at my antics
Fire to cauterize my wounds

I look at my unfamiliar self
Peeling off the mask is a ritual
No one must see the pain
Few care to know the source

I look at your piercing eyes
The one who forces my smile
A chest to cry against
Bedside table to rest the mask

I look at the hole you left
Suturing the mask back on
Practicing the facetious art
Forever being the jester