When you are the persona of strength

it always seems people view you as if

you are sitting high in the heavens

on this light and effortless cloud

with large, white wings flowing

out of the bones in your back-

no regard to the ground below.

Your smooth skin is covered in

diamond platted armor-

impenetrable to

inferior forces.

You become invincible

in the eyes of them.

But when that persona starts to crack,

like sharp, jagged edges of

broken crystalline glass

that glorious veil starts to lift,

the cloud turns to crashing thunderstorms,

your wings wither to dark ash,

your bones start to brittle,

and you become fully aware

of the ground below.

Scar covered skin,

vulnerable and exposed

to, now, superior forces.

You are no longer invincible

in the eyes of them.

You are no longer invincible

in the eyes of you.

You are now

the tragic truth

of a revealed illusion

on what its means to be

the perception

of strength.