Unmasked
Where I am sent
I go.
Trembling in my very soul
As I step out to another phase of life
Trembling as I go beyond everything
I walk from being masked and armoured
To the cool feeling of unprotected nakedness
Standing in the center of everything
As I wait for the seeming judgement of man
I am who I am
Noone else but myself
The woman God has created me to be
But I don't know if what people build me up to be
Will they accept me?
Or will I be denied that which I have long dreamed of attaining?
Just because of the person I am
I try to close out my culture
Focus on what is important
Only Jesus, they say, look only at Jesus
And that's the toughest part
I pray
I wait
What will happen now that I've ripped the mask away?
The one I no longer feel like wearing?
-- N. Banta 10-22-07