Poetry

In the Shadow of the Mask A weight presses down, stones stacked upon my chest, each one a silent vow to endure. I carry it all- the deadlines, the doubts, the threats that lurk like code gone rogue, until my bones groan, until the crush feels certain. I am a sentinel, trained to guard against collapse, but who guards the guard when darkness falls? I’m worn out from masking, from weaving a face that isn’t mine. In boardrooms, I am steel, a leader who never falters. At home, I am smiles, a shadow playing at light. The mask is heavy, its…