Inspired by Paul Laurence Dunbar “We Wear the Mask”
The Masks We Wear
A veil obscures me from the eyes of others,
false confidence under strained smiles masks my desires for belonging,
a pretense of confidence, swathed in fine thread
is ardent desire to end what unravels inside me, and to stop
what — shifting sand, which keeps me from discovering solid ground
where I can stand
we are not “we”, I am only “one”
and I wear a mask because I must
This brings the famous Laurence Paul Dunbar poem to mind: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/44203/we-wear-the-mask. What a great update for our time 🙂
Yes, that was my inspiration!
Its always a delight to read a poem that speaks to you. Well done! best wishes ^^
Thanks!
I like “false confidence under strained smiles masks my desires for belonging,”. It truly is how people are with their masks during the pandemic. The play of confidence and the different masks is done with eloquence.
Love it. You described me 🙂