By Dawn Oswald
Mask
Why do we wear them?
Is it to hide?
To mask our pain?
Is it for a party?
To enjoy life?
Mask, why do you wear them?
I put on a mask for my brave face
For my family
Masks can be sad or happy
They can be beautiful or ugly
Masks can be worn throughout the day
What would your mask look like?
The mask can be changed at any time
Just as people change their hats
A mask for this
A mask for that
Wear it for whatever reason
To be brave
To just be sad for a moment
To be glad
To be powerful
To help others
Do you mask your pain so others don’t worry?
Do you say I am good or say I am okay?
Is it harder to lie or tell the truth?
Is it a lie if you don’t want them to worry?
Do you mask your quality of life?
Do you do one day at a time like me?
That’s what I tell people to do: “One day at a time.”
Do you mask your sadness or depression?
Do you ask for help?
I wear multiple masks
A mask to help you, to help me, to help everyone
A mask of laughter, love, of concern, patience and of hope
Masks can be of many colors
The color of a rainbow
It can be black or white
A mask of different faces: sad, happy, grieving, or even scared
It can be whatever you want it to be
It is your mask
You chose what mask you want to wear
What mask do you have on today
Wear it proud
I am going to wear my mask of bravery, love, hope and caring for us all
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