Masked

I was five years old

the first time a man exposed his true character

and took something from me that I never got back

I learned to wear a mask when I was five years old.

I was nineteen years old

the second time a man exposed his true character

and took something from me that I never got back

I learned to harden my mask when I was nineteen years old.

I was twenty-six years old

the third time a man exposed his true character

and took something from me that I never got back

I learned to perfect my mask when I was twenty-six years old.

They say silence is golden

Until its 3am on a Saturday night

Having flashbacks in your shower

all alone

They say maybe you should talk to someone

“That will help, having someone helps”

But what happens when one of those someones violates you

When someone you were supposed to be able to trust takes from you

Then you’re crying to yourself confused

and its 3am on a Saturday night

Having flashbacks in your shower

all alone

You cry until you can’t anymore

While you are tucked away

and the world can’t see

unmasked

You reflect on the hundreds of times you’ve been violated

it hasn’t been just three

You know you are strong

You’ve built walls and donned your mask

You’ve emptied your tears

You’ve dried up your mess

It’s Sunday morning

and you’ve replaced your mask