Dichtende Designerin

They want me to laugh even when I feel like crying.

They force me to wear a mask and beneath a face of false joy I’m hiding.

They force me to wear a mask, because emotions are way too revealing.

Swallow your problems, show them your teeth-

but don’t take a bite or the mask won’t fit!

Keep it all inside yourself!

Don’t let others dig too deep!

Don’t dare talk about it!

That’s what they tell you to do.

But you know it better;

You don’t want to hide that part of yourself any longer.

The mask is burning, together with your calories,

It makes you hot, while your attitude is freezing.

You hunger perfection, but your friendly face is fading…

When are you taking it off?

They began to like me

As I began to hate myself

For the vicious circle of thoughts:

Must not eat. Must not eat.

I’m too fat. Must not eat.

But still I forced a smile on my face

And cried lonely only on the toilet,

After I’ve done the disgusting part of my beauty obsession.

You can’t take it any longer, pull your strings!

Your mask comes off, reflects your bare face;

It’s perfectly shaped as your cover.

You did it, you made it!

Shockingly the same as the mask you wore.

Where is the real you?

We wrote this poem to raise awareness for mental disorders and how society forces mentally ill persons to hide that they don’t feel okay.

Written in collaboration with Mira