They see a child
They see him flash a smile
He makes everyone laugh
They think he’s fine.
That kid would never whine.

To be happy,
He would never have to try.
He doesn’t have a reason to cry.
He listens to their problems but they ignore his.
They see him
But it’s not the real him.

The mask, it hurts.
The longer and longer it stays.
The more permanent it becomes.
He tries hard.
To take it off
But it doesn’t work
The fear is like superglue.

But he’s in luck.
The 2 friends can help.
All he had to do is yelp
And they’ll come running down from yonder
To help take it off
To help him breathe.
They get to see the real him.
Not some crappy mask.
They don’t know it though.
With them, the mask falls as gently as snow.

They see the truth.
They see his suffering
His longing for acceptance
They see the things that tear him up
Limb by limb.

They see the fear filled eyes
With tears streaming down each side
Beneath the smile
Unearths a frown.
They know he’s self-conscious.
He’s worried about being called those stupid names again.
Then they leave
And the mask which he hates with a passion
Creeps back on and takes control once more.