When the mask becomes the man,
A veil through which I smile,
Showing outwardly only the things,
I want the world to see,
Only inside behind the mask,
Which worn I have for countless years,
Have I lost who I once was,
Adapted and changed to fit,
Moulded and shaped to find,
Acceptance from those I know,
Family, colleagues and friends,
I struggle to find the one true me,
Who I really am,
You see the smiles and jokes,
Used to numb the pain,
Just to make it through the day,
That I loathe to face each morning,
I lay in bed at night,
Hoping that tomorrow never comes,
Wracking guilt accompanies those thoughts,
Making me feel worse,
My wife and son may love me,
So too family and friends,
Thus I must make the choice,
To live another day,
To hide the true feelings,
That plague my every thought,
I wear the mask again because,
My original self has been forgot,
Our time on earth is very short,
In the enormity of time,
So I feel it right to say this now,
That loneliness can claim you,
Even when you're not alone,
Your brain can be your best friend,
In my case an enemy,
Yet I wear the mask once more,
The battle will rage on,
The mask has become the man,
That everybody knows is me,
For the truth of who I am,
Is what nobody can see.