For Those Who Wear Masks Poem by RIC BASTASA

actually, those who love you
prefer that the masks be worn,
for they want that confidence in you
when you wear even one of them
in fact, you showed what love is
you conquered those who shame you
with what you are
when you are without it,
so by all means, our purpose is anyway
to survive this pass over
we shall cross the river shortly and
with the mask, this thing will be easier
smoother, and at the end what matters
most is your victory,
not what is behind that mask,
the horror within, the shock in every line
of your realities.