Pull Back the Curtain

“This is a slam behind a curtain,” a website once said.

“Please pull back the curtain,” this girl silently begs.

“Behind the curtain, I am portrayed as kind with a huge heart,

Brave as can be, and intelligent and smart.

But the truth is, I am hidden behind a large sheet,

As confused as a lost girl from Kansas with many new strangers to meet.

Despite popular belief, I am not the goody-two shoes everyone thinks I am,

But I try to remain empathetic, to stay real and never be a scam.

No matter the situation, I stubbornly refuse to swear or curse.

I hold my tongue when I should speak my mind, and often the reverse.

Though sometimes I fear being left behind, I remind myself to stay positive and bright,

Even when others do not understand why I have this need to fight.

I am good at hiding behind my curtain, but occasionally I act upset.

People notice, yet do not know why my eyes are wet.

My friends feel confused when my curtain sways, revealing more of me.

I fight to keep the sheet in place because I am naïve and do not see

What others’ words actually mean. My brain is in my head but I forget to think.

I tend to miss a smirk or smile, and the exchanging of a wink.

Speaking in front of crowds is a breeze, but when I want to express myself to my peers,

I am treated like a child, and my eyes are pricked with invisible tears.

My heart carries the best intentions, and I hope my words carry such a feeling,

Even when others do not catch the meaning.

I do wish that someone would try to see who is behind the curtain,

To remove the mask from her face and reveal the girl who is uncertain.

She knows that she is innocent and foolish, but by no means pathetic.

Whether or not she is wrong, she still acts apologetic.

She wishes people would listen to her instead of hear,

But she is grateful for those who bother to lend an ear.

I am a little lost girl, and I do hide behind a curtain.

The curtain is also a mask, but what is behind it is not hard to determine.

My mask is one of a kind; it is filled with happy and optimistic personality.

The person behind the curtain is similar, bearing a unique individuality.

Now a part of me is my mask.

To learn this, you only have to ask.

In the end, I guess I may not be a wizard living a lie.

I am my mask, although I continue to wear it and do not know why.

I am grateful to have many friends who pull back the curtain and do not turn a blind eye,

But I just wish more people would care enough to try.”