In 2020, I began to wear a mask.
My expressions shrouded;
the eyes the only window to the soul.
Like the rest of the world,
Shielding ourselves in battle
Against an invisible enemy.

I always wondered what it felt like
To explore the world with a mask on.
What it felt like, to conceal the truth
Behind a veneer of plastic smiles
and forced laughter;
To smile sweetly and offer support
while sticking that knife in deeper
To offer loud and convincing praise
while letting jealousy fester
inside your mind.

To camouflage all of one's insecurities
With the tap of one's phone -
Flawless skin, sharp jawline, sculpted abs
As the validation pours in the form of
Red hearts on the notification screen.

In 2020, I found out how it felt
To show two different faces;
One for safety, the other, well...
Uncovered. Uncensored, unfiltered.

What does it feel like,
When the mask becomes you?
When it gets under your skin
Burrows itself within so deep
That you've forgotten who you are?

You've always been masking -
Only this year, we can see it.