The Real Me

I'm okay, you're okay is a mask in the land of pretend. I see a face in the mirror. I do not recognize the firelight facade Is this the real me hiding a darkness beneath the mask? sprinkled fairy dust on pores of skin layered makeup waxed on blemishes strokes of rouge and fake eyelashes and with mascara concealed miseries, am I too pretending that all is well? festering weary wounds in band-aids, I do not know how to remove them. The show goes on...dawn to dusk. then the music stops and masks fall off. flecks of sunlight stream through leaves swirling amber in the last rays of afternoon I see smiling eyes in the mirror a real pearl bejewelled face a garland of white jasmine. I find the real me.