Unmasked
by Sarah Russell
I shivered when I took them off,
those masks of forty years —
goodgirlgooddaughtergoodstudentgoodwifegoodmothergoodgoodgood.
I stood naked in a new day.
Who was left?
Could I find her?
Would I love her?
Would anyone?
I set out to build a woman
without masks.
It took a while.
I lost people
and found others —
fewer than before.
They knew me when we met.
I knew them.
None of us wore masks.
All of us were naked.
But the sun was warm on our skin.
Photo by Denise Jans on Unsplash
NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR: It took tears, rage, alienation, and some deep regrets to find the woman who lived behind masks other people expected me to wear. The peace I feel was worth it.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Sarah Russell’s poetry and fiction have been published in Kentucky Review, Silver Birch Press, Red River Review, Misfit Magazine, Rusty Truck, Third Wednesday, and other journals and anthologies. She is a Pushcart Prize nominee. Her poetry collections include I lost summer somewhere and Today and Other Seasons, both published by Kelsay Books. She blogs at SarahRussellPoetry.net.
Silver Birch Press 
Reblogged this on Sarah Russell Poetry and commented:
My poem “Unmasked” was just published by Silver Birch Press. Thank you, Melanie, for organizing these themed poetry events.
The tyranny of those good-girl masks. Strong poem, Sarah. Thanks!
Very good.!!