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One day as I walked,
toward the mail box to see
what the postman had left
and hoping the bills were few.

A flash of brown
caught my eye
as it fluttered to the ground
at first I thought it was a little bird at play

I turned to get a closer look
as I tend to be short of sight
instead of a bird
it was a leaf in flight
guided by the wind

I followed the leaf till it finally lay down
amongst other leaves spread about
upon the ground
covering it like wild flowers
in a spring time field

That is when I understood
that there are flowers in fall too
its the trees standing where they should
showing off their fall flowers

A monarch came by today
as I passed down a wooded road
she was dressed in the finest,
the finest material nature had to offer.

Bright orange,
black trim on each orange fold
accented with a pearl here,
and a pearl there.

She stopped on the green
surrounded by leaves
apparently to show off her dress.
She seemed quite happy to stay
and she did stay quite awhile
until the wind blew her away
or perhaps she flew
I do not know how to tell.

So I contenued on my way
noticing something odd
on a tree branch across the way
it seemed like only a bunch of dead leaves at the time
so I paid no mind.

Later that day
I made my way back again
passing once more the place
where the monarch once stood

I saw someone in a brownish coat
fluttering away with the wind
to places that I do not know
going on down the road

Perhaps it was her again
I cannot be quite sure
the dress seemed the same
but sense I do not know her name
I cannot be sure if it was my monarch.

There’s a mask that I wear.
That no one can see,
Because it isn’t really there.
It’s just inside of me.

It isn’t to hide my face,
It’s to hide the real me.
It’s so they can see,
Or they might be afraid of me.

I’m afraid they wouldn’t like the real me.
So I hide where no human can see.
I think that I’m afraid to show the real me,
I’m afraid they wouldn’t like the real me.

Why should I care?
My real friends already see…
Why should I care, what other people see?
Some of the real me.

I need to come out of hiding.
Out from behind my mask.
Out of my hiding place.
For the whole world to see.

I need to be the real me.
No more mask.
For the whole world to see.
No more hiding.

My friends will stay.
No matter.
Forever and a day.
That’s all that matters.

Time to show myself.
My true self.
Forever and a day.
That’s all that matters!

Behind the wall I created.
Behind the mask that I wear.
There in the shadows,
Coming into the light.
That’s the real me.