Unmasked

Drifting to the ground
Mask by mask
One by one
They fall away
I fear what will remain

Picked up by gentle hands
Dusted and
Tenderly preserved
Finding myself beneath
Will I wear my masks again?

It is time to cast aside
Shame and fear
Masks of the old way
And begin anew
There’s no need to hide

And yet, and yet…
I fear to face the world unmasked
Fragile and new
I reach for the light
Clothed in shadow
I dance

This poem was spontaneously written yesterday as a conversation on Facebook between myself and my friend Emma-Jayne.  Emma is an artist and has her own site and blog at: http://urbanimal.starshards.com/