Notice all the faces you wear – to act like they want you to act. The faces are heavy. And the pure, real, true, beautiful you gets smothered.

You are born pure
Beautiful
Happy
Free
Then they say “be quiet”
“Stop playing”
“Be quiet”
“Only speak when you’re spoken to”
“Don’t run”
Smack. Cry. “Stop crying or I’ll hit you again”
“Don’t laugh so loud”
“Be serious”
“You’re stupid”
“I don’t love you”
“You were a mistake”
“Fuck you”
Racist slur
Punch
Kick
“You’re weird”
Laugh
You build faces
You act like they want you to
There faces protect you
They stop the pain
But they also smother the real, beautiful you
What to do