The Mask

There's one thing about me,
you never will guess,
Unless I wish to tell you,
which, right now, is a yes.

You see, I've been hiding,
something from you,
And I figured it was time,
to spit out what's true.

For as long as I,
can remember,
Starting way back,
in a younger December,

I've worn a mask,
and it's quite perfect,
Over the years,
I've learned to collect,

My feelings inside,
this bottled self,
And store them away,
on the highest shelf.

So, all you can see,
and all you can hurt,
Is only a piece of me,
meant to divert,

The pain and suffering,
I fear will come,
If I make a wrong move,
if I start to succumb,

To the tortures,
of my own emotions,
And the memories from before,
that could fill the oceans.

You see, I wasn't,
always like this,
No, once, I was normal,
and living in bliss.

But then he came,
and twisted my world,
Until it spun 'round me,
and I almost hurled,

From the sensation,
in the pit of my gut,
Which kept getting worse,
until I didn't know what,

To do about it,
to make it stop,
But then as I realized,
my mouth made a Pop!

It was him, all along,
that started it,
And I smiled and decided,
to him I'd admit,

I'd fallen in love,
no way to reverse,
But, oh, how I ended,
up so much worse,

Than when I started,
so long ago,
To talk to him,
and now I know,

That everything isn't,
what it appears,
And that feeling called love,
can leave you in tears.

So, he is the reason,
I'm behind this mask,
But are you still left with,
questions to ask?

Like why I'm telling you,
all of this, now?
Or how you became the one,
I'd allow,

To hear all of this,
and truly know me,
Because, you're closer,
than anyone ever will be.

And now to the part,
that caused this eruption,
Why, it's you, yes you,
who ends my corruption.

The first time we met,
and I looked in your eyes,
What my own met,
took me by surprise.

It wasn't the usual,
oh, not at all,
Not the limited views,
or the walls that were tall.

No, in you, I saw hope,
and it broke apart,
All I had worked for,
to hide my heart.

My mask slipped off,
for the first time in years,
And I felt all the feelings,
including the fears.

But with you standing there,
I couldn't be scared,
That would be impossible,
like a blind man who stared.

I felt, below me,
the mask hit the ground,
And I wondered why,
you never looked down,

And then it hit me,
you didn't know,
And couldn't see,
all the woe,

You'd emptied me of,
right there and then,
In the shape of a mask,
giving me a feeling of zen.

I'd never been,
like I am with you,
Ever before,
that mask was all I knew.

And to see it crash,
in the span of a second,
Was utterly freeing,
I have to reckon.

I'm discovering myself,
as though a child,
And it made my day,
when you looked over and smiled.

I feel a feeling,
bubbling inside,
and even if I wanted to,
I couldn't hide,

The way I feel,
about you, now,
And I'll never be able,
to truly bow,

And show my thanks,
for setting me free,
From that horrible mask,
controlling me.

Every light looks brighter,
every sound sounds louder,
Every touch feels closer,
and every movement is prouder.

Without the mask,
I am learning to live,
It's a slow process,
but I'm willing to give,

It my all,
and everything more,
I want to be,
like I was before.

You're helping me through,
my toughest hours,
And for that I don't know,
why I deserve flowers,

But you give them anyway,
and smile to me,
And I see the one,
I've been wanting to see.

The one who will love me,
until the day of my death,
and even then,
with my last breath.

And when you follow me,
I already know,
We'll still be in love,
like it's the first go.

So, thank you, my love,
for breaking that visor,
Otherwise I would still be,
none the wiser.

The mask long gone,
I'm no longer withdrawn,
You saved my soul,
Not half, but the whole.