Who am I to deny them?

The person they all wish to see?

The green patch of the black garden

I’ve kept this face on for so long…

It’s one I cannot remove easily

Within me

I have an old person

One, I had to hide from the slings and arrows

The mask

I created it to hide

Now that the need is gone…

Why can I not take this infernal mask off?

This façade of falsehood

This lock on the prison

It has been so long that

Perhaps…

I am afraid of what is in that cage