Jacqueline Nash - True Colours

How are you? ” They ask.
“I'm just fine.” I reply.
But my face wears a mask
and my lips tell a lie.

“And how are you? ” I ask back.
“I'm fine too.” They say.
But their mask has a crack
which gives them away.

The mask helps us pretend
when we despair;
to hide feelings we defend
and do not want to air.

It hides all those thoughts too,
ones we dare not vent;
fearing that our different view
could cause an incident.

We wear it for protection
to keep the world out.
To save us from rejection
and self doubt.

Sometimes the mask we wear
takes over you and me;
hiding the person we really are,
who we want to be.

That's when we must be brave
and let the mask go.
We should not be afraid
to let our true colours show.

Jacqueline Nash

http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/true-colours-7/