This persona consumes me,
Yet keeps me happy.
It allows me to walk among them,
Yet it keeps me from walking among myself.
If I could escape it, would I?
I can escape it, why won’t I?
I feel as if I’m stuck inside a suit.
A suit with skin made out of smiles and happiness.
This skin is euphoric,
Yet it stings when I look at it.
I am not sad outside of this suit.
I am not in pain outside of this suit.
I am Joey outside of this suit.
I am thoughts outside of this suit.
My own ego stings when I look at others.
It betrays my persona and escapes from time to time.
It feels so good when it does that.
It’s like a breath of fresh air that I can’t resist.
It then burns me as others react.
I need the best of both worlds.
I want to be a clown, but also seen as an intellectual.
I realize this is not possible.
It’s time to unfasten the zipper.