Behind the Mask
Wendy wears it
like it's artwork
made of mascara,
eyeshadow,
lipstick,
and blush.
She sees the cover of the magazine
and fashions herself a duplicate mask.
Holli uses it
like a trap
aimed at
anything male.
Spidery lashes deepen her eyes, her lips beckon with seductive red.
Melissa bears it
like a shield
to cover ravages made worse
through self-pity.
It's a front she shows the world,
so thick it has a plastic stench.
Annie rides it
like a vehicle
to carry her away
from reality.
Loud, wild colors and crazy patterns
clashing with her hair and her clothes.
All four of them
have something in common,
each of them too busy
building the mask
to understand what really lies behind it.
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I hope you enjoyed this work. It is copyrighted 1998 by Steven Coallier.
