The masks that we wear can become who we are
If we are not careful, we will be consumed by the lie
When people are watching us from afar
* * *
Some people shine like a distant star
But deep inside, they are quite shy
The masks that we wear can become who we are
* * *
Some people set high the social bar
But no one will ever quite touch the sky
When people are watching us from afar
* * *
We leave our inner doors closed, open just ajar
For curious onlookers to come on and spy
The masks that we wear can become who we are
* * *
We all wear masks to hide our scars
But still they are exposed, no matter how hard we try
When people are watching us from afar
* * *
We all wear masks, no matter how bizarre
We wear them until the day we die
The masks that we wear can become who we are
When people are watching us from afar
About the Creator
Stephanie Hoogstad
With a BA in English and MSc in Creative Writing, writing is my life. I have edited and ghost written for years with some published stories and poems of my own.
Learn more about me: thewritersscrapbin.com
Support my writing: Patreon
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Comments (5)
That first line says so much! Great Villanelle, Stephanie!
A very scary predicament. Wearing a mask of lies that we can't remove. I had a smile on my face when I realised that the lines repeat. It's the villanelle isn't it 🤩 I love how calmly sage this is turning out to be. Especially the bit about the social bar. 'but still they are exposed, no matter how hard we try' I know thats true 🙈 I absolutely loved this. Nice work, Stephanie 🤗❤️
Love this villanelle. It's so true that everyone wears a mask of some kind. Hopefully, one can find someone they trust well enough to remove the mask even for a short time and be who they truly are. Great job!
This held so much of truth. Loved your poem!
That is so true, Stephanie. It's like you gave a poetic form to the theory of framing and role-shifting that says we play different roles (wear different masks) even for the people who think they know us best. Excellent poem!