Behind a Mask

Regarding him with caution

engraved deep beneath her skin

demeanor scared but ready

to reveal the wounds within.

            She dons herself with defense

desperate, lusting to believe,

dying to his trust,

and some small confidence receive.

She sits an hour once a week

dreading when she’s done,

pondering the query

could this finally be the one?

With her every word stifled

there’s a question she won’t ask:

does he want to see the girl who’s there

and lost behind a mask?

Could he calm her rage filled mind,

the many elements of fear,

untangle barbed psychotic snares

in what was never clear?

            Could he coax her to reach for,

            grasp and once again befriend

            her long lost honor, pride

            and yes, her dignity again?

And could he ever disregard

the labyrinth of web

where behind it lies her sanity

dangling by a thread?

            Is his confidence a given

            in spoken shreds of truth?

            She longs to hear him say,

            after what she says is proof,

that while the nightmare happened

he can free what she keeps locked.

And trust that after all she says

he never will be shocked

            as she paints on verbal canvas

            the world of shame she lives,

            terrified he might forget

            it’s rare this trust she gives.

Would he then move in her mind

and there calm a raging sea

of pressure, untamed courage

cell-bound hate that yearns to flee

            away but bridled, changed

            in mounting suffocated hope;

            enough to strengthen nerves

            within her long thought fraying rope?

And would she feel he answered

even though she’ll never ask:

does he really see the girl who’s there

and lost behind a mask?

 

Reviews

[poddar kushal]

beautifully written..."Is his confidence a given

in spoken shreds of truth?

She longs to hear him say,

after what she says is proof,"_ wonderful rythm and a tale with thousand twists. i like the way you reach for the readers with tag questions.