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The Mask
Chins Up, Smiles On
I read it in a book
My mother told me once
After I’d cried for while in her arms
Wear the mask, we must keep going
Wear the mask, so the others won’t see
But I still see
I see the forced smile
the uncomfortable laugh
the quick look she gives to a friend
Our eyes tell the truth
You can see the sadness, the fear
You can only see if you look
Else it may be lost in the smile
the carefully calibrated phrase
Cry later, in the hall,
wipe the look of despair off,
before anyone sees
what if someone sees
Perfectly parted lips
A beautiful smile
We are goddesses after all
Bound to perfection
Forever
The chains of a smile
The chains of a mask
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The phrase "chins up, smiles on" always stuck with me and I've said it to myself many times over the years.