Do you know me?

Do you know me
Do you know the fears I hold
Do you know the lies I told
Do you know the secret chains
that always hold me down

Do you know the love I have inside
Do you know the the tears I hide
My ups, my downs, my chronic coaster ride

Can you really hear me when I speak
even though the words you read may seem bleak
You’ve missed the meaning of it all
The eye is your biggest downfall

Years I have been around
Toiling to make a mask just for you
Myself always hiding in the shadows
Anxious to let you in

You think I have caved
You think I am me
I have walls to defend
This brittle heart you will not see

Do you know me
A mirage built to please
A lie built to appease
the masses that I know
this not-so-entertaining show

I could be
the one with the bleeding tongue
constantly biting to save you from venomous speech
the one with the bleeding heart
constantly striving to keep you on your feet
I am all these and more

but I will sit in the shadows
for the sake of your heart or mine
I will wear my jester’s mask
I will wear it with pride

Because you don’t know me
I’m not the great Oz
I’m not even the guy behind the curtain
I am the wall flower
ever watching and waiting
for that helping hand to craft the next mask
that I’ll gladly add to my collection

You know me
Don’t you?