some say
remove your mask
at your peril
friends become strangers
not knowing you at all
never trusting again
going forward
they will wonder
what else lies hidden
what consequences
yet others say
reveal your true self
live an authentic life
honest and true
celebrate the real you
let others see you
they can know
what they see
is what they get
trusting who you are
then again
every mask
has reason behind
past hurt or trauma
present protection
some have layers
hard as concrete
many years to chip
but never coming away
maybe best left in place
complexity abounds
and we can never know
what is the authentic
or else the mask worn well
will knowledge quell anxiety
unilateral unveiling rarely found
multilateral not at all
together going forward
forever choosing or guessing
which mask worn today
Fraser