RDP Thursday: BADGE

AI Artwork By: CURSEJOURNEY

When you are told not to laugh or smile to ‘big’

because you look and sound like a ‘screeching monkey ‘

and do you want to look like a monkey in the zoo?

The answer will be no.

So you won’t laugh or smile ‘too big’.

Ever.

You will learn to wear a paper mache mask every time you go out into the world

sporting the expressionless  visage of a corpse

worked on by a Funeral Director who  slathered and coaxed

liquid makeup and soft fine powder over cool and uncooperative skin

until something faintly resembling a face appeared under their hand.

I wear my mask, stapled to my skull

with grim determination

when I step out of my door

and into the world.