Tighten your mask,

5 year old girl,

taught the conventions of society,

forced to wear them like saran wrap,

hardly letting your air of individuality escape.

You must say please, thank you,

bully if they bully,

or so you think.

How you'd like to escape from this act,

Maybe you don't want to spin forever in this candy

coloured playground,

you, you are the little girl who dreams of being an insurance broker,

forget nurses and vets and princesses.

No, you must fit the standard little girl definition.

So tighten your mask.

---

Tighten your mask,

15 year old girl,

get those A+s and forget that everything isn't perfect,

forget that Annie is spending her Saturday night on a date with the toilet

because she's doesn't look like Nicole Richie,

Forget that you just had unprotected sex for the first time in

the back of his paint chipping, stolen from a side street (but you won't tell) Chevy pickup.

You are still mommy's little angel,

the ideal humanist, painting wings onto younger generations.

when you see your reflection the words

Confident

Beautiful

Intelligent

pop up for your eyes and everyone elses to see,

right?

No?

Well, tighten your mask.

---

Tighten your mask,

30 year old woman,

This family you are building is unflawed,

a picturesque collection of ideal organisms, like a doll house generation

brought to life.

What is dept?

Keep up this act, this small talk over coffee,

this 'my husband, oh he's prince charming'.

You are successful, and take good care of your parents,

because they've taken good care of you.

You are doing what you've always dreamt of, that legacy will

be recalled as eulogies are read over a glowing

grave in years to come.

This could not be more perfect...

...yes.

Keep on tightening your mask.

---

Tighten your mask,

50 year old woman,

Menopause is just another obstacle on the racing

track they call life,

you are bigger and better then this and news

of your friends with cancer, well it's unfortunate but you'll

still be strong, because you have to be,

right?

Your kids are getting married, they’ll find happiness with whom ever they pick,

because you've raised them well.

And it doesn't hurt to let them go, at least not for everyone to see,

'a toast to the married couple'-'a toast to my broken heart',

No!

You'll be...fine.

You've become so good at wearing this mask.

---

Tighten your mask,

80 year old woman,

you want them to think that you are still a pillar of strength

despite your recent hip transplant and Diabetes.

You reminisce but have no regrets, at least not for them to hear about,

you say, 'don't live a life full of regrets',

no, you won't let them know that you have.

To your grandchildren you are super granny,

Life has no bumps and bruises.

But, this great chapter book is ending,

you have done your job, insured future volumes

and so yours will end

with a 'happily ever after'.

Isn't that so?

80 years of this mask,

Yes? Yes.

80 years of this act.