The Mask

The Mask

The epidemic came, people had to wear them

They learned many many things from it

You could hide things- a smile, a scowl, even a pout

Some even learned what it was actually like to become it

I learned at a very early age about the mask

But this mask has no cloth, filters nor even a string

This was self controlled mental contortions

Which hid the true me and my feelings away from everything

As the epidemic went on, people became less concerned with feelings

Isolation and self absorption began settling in

Proximity became a deadly line to which we stood fast

And we were happy with not letting anyone in

The mental mask is not such a far leap now

We’ve had practice, in which we’ve went from imagined to real

When the material masks are finally removed from our faces

Will we remember how to truly let others know how we feel?

A mask has it’s own persona which is controlled by the wearer

Many wear them, I’ve worn them, to hide myself from being truly seen

But in a world where reality slips further and further away

The mask may not necessarily be a good thing if you know what I mean

We cannot survive living each day compartmentalized

This mask, this fear, this hiding has no power to heal you

This strength, this love, this power comes only from above

So please pull off your mask so I may finally feel you

Joel Prickett

3/9/21