Take one look

I know what you’ll think

It’s the exact thing that I program every mind to see

Positivity, fearlessness, self-confidence, artistic

It’s the bravado I wear

The mask that conceals

The truth is hiding in my bones

The truth of fear

You see

Everyone will say how strong and beautiful she is

Everyone will exclaim the happiness that radiates with her smile

Everyone thinks that they know everything about me—that they can define every thought in my head

But what they don’t see is the very thing I am always hiding

The fear

The fear that is wrapped around my very bones

The terror that appears after every word I speak

The self-conscious, weak girl

Hiding behind a lion’s face

They don’t know the story of my strength

Or lack of

They don’t know the way my heart strings tug and pull at every word

They don’t know.

What you see

Is not true

What you think about me

Is only a mask

And if I took off every mask I wear,

If I completely removed it all

You would be shocked at the weak, pathetic girl you saw

So different

From what I program everyone to see