"Eternal Masquerade" by Robert Brown What mask shall I wear today? What image shall I project To everyone I meet? What emotion shall I hide To protect those I love? How much more can I endure To continue this Eternal Masquerade? Shall I wear the happy mask And keep my sadness hidden? Or the serene one To keep my agitations to myself? Perhaps the blank one will suffice To keep the hurt from prying eyes? With so many masks I wonder if the world will ever find me But there are those who Have discovered my secret Who know about my masks And why I wear them They want me to remove them Want to see the real me But I do not believe That they will ever see the real me Only when I am alone With just myself for company Can I remove my masks But I must be careful For there is something No one knows Even those that recognize the Masks I wear Each mask is barbed Tiny hooks that sink into My face and rip out my skin When I try to remove them Further disfiguring the visage Beneath their protective shell Until not even I can recognize Who I truly am