Warning: This work has been rated 16+ for violence.
I carved a mask from porcelain and silence,
And I wired it to my jaw with rusted thread.
It speaks for me in a voice of velvet violence,
Killing the truths I should have said.
It has a mouth that smiles when I am breaking,
It has eyes that sparkle while mine are turning grey;
It is the only part of me that isn't aching,
The only part that’s allowed to see the day.
How are you?
I’m wonderful.
(The mask ignores the way my lungs are gasping.)
Are you tired?
Not at all.
(The mask ignores the way my hands are rasping.)
I am a ghost trapped in a hollow shell,
Watching through the slits as the mask takes control.
It tells the stories that I’m forced to sell,
To pay the ransom for my dying soul.
Why are your knuckles split and raw?
I tripped and hit the gravel.
Why is there a tremor in your jaw?
I’m just excited to unravel.
The mask is stained with things I cannot name,
Darker than the "marker" on the floor.
It plays a jagged, predatory game,
Barricading every single door.
It feeds on the meals I swear I’ve already eaten,
It grows stronger as my bones begin to show.
It stands tall while I am bent and beaten,
Hiding the bruises that no one gets to know.
Do you need help?
Never.
Does it hurt?
I feel nothing.
Are you going to be okay?
Forever.
But beneath the porcelain, the skin is screaming,
Torn by the hooks that hold the lie in place.
I spend my nights in frantic, fevered dreaming,
Trying to claw the plastic from my face.
But the mask has grown into the muscle and the vein,
It’s swallowed my tongue and hollowed out my chest.
It is the architect of all my hidden pain,
The only part of me that’s "passed the test."
Am I still in here?
Yes.
Is the mask the one who's living?
Yes.
Will I ever take it off?
No.
I am fine.
I am fine.
The mask says it’s a beautiful day,
As it slowly chokes the life out of me.
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125,020 Literary Works • 672,734 Reviews
Heyyyy~my friend! It's catsz here to drop by and leave a review for the Berry Cool Crew! Let's jump into the world of your poem! I'm not going to be using a format, or structure. I will try to interpret your universe perspective from your eyes freely without pressure.
I know it is hard. Life is messed up, and we often have to do what you said; put on a mask, and once you do it, you can't live without it. The answers in bold are heartbreaking. It's okay to be raw and truthful. It's okay to not pretend. Don't pretend you're okay, release it. Release it like you released this poem. Pour out your soul into the tremors of the earth. Let the heavens hear your cry. Because it is okay to be full of pain. It is okay to scream out. Because maybe that's the only way. Be excited to unravel. What makes you...you? What makes you happy? What keeps you going? There must be something...and that is a reason all by itself. The mask has hurt you, and destroyed the inner child you had before. But you can recover it. I know you can. I believe it, and I swear on my life I'll keep trying until you feel a flash of hope. And cling onto it. Hope is what keeps you going. Love is what keeps you going.
Don't try to be someone you don't want to be. The mask saves you, but it also destroys you. Like sweet poison. It's tasteful, but slowly kills you. Strangles your cry.
It is manipulating, you're so pure and genuinely one of the best people. "I am fine" is a phrase many repeat. When they are dying inside. "I'm fine." When they are struggling to find a reason to live. "I'm fine."
Don't push down your voice, lays, we love you. Let your inner child free. It's somewhere inside of you, and I believe you can find it.
The imagery is strong inside this poem. It makes a great impact. You make a great impact. You and your soul. Your gorgeous, heartbroken soul. It's like a piece of art; don't let it kill its full potential. Expression.
We love you lays. Forever.
Thanks for the review
Wow...this is so powerful. It reaches right into the core of the reader and makes them pay attention. The imagery and metaphors are gorgeous. I don't think there's anything that needs improving, this is wonderful. I felt your despair and pain. The way you describe your slow crumbling is phenomenal, too. This is, just...amazing.
Wow...this is so powerful. It reaches right into the core of the reader and makes them pay attention. The imagery and metaphors are gorgeous. I don't think there's anything that needs improving, this is wonderful. I felt your despair and pain. The way you describe your slow crumbling is phenomenal, too. This is, just...amazing.
Wow...this is so powerful. It reaches right into the core of the reader and makes them pay attention. The imagery and metaphors are gorgeous. I don't think there's anything that needs improving, this is wonderful. I felt your despair and pain. The way you describe your slow crumbling is phenomenal, too. This is, just...amazing.