Never in a million years could I Imagine,
a life with my mouth concealed.
Son of the salsa and cousin of rebellion,
adopted by the Lady Libertas…
Concealed? How could I ever!
Oppressed genetically, history tells me,
but of an insurgent mind, you better!
No institution, in the past or present,
could suppress the urge that rises;
Concealed? You will never!
Shrink, people call me in the morning,
because what they see thundering I see ungiving;
In the land of the intrepid I am reminded
You don’t take without giving.
Concealed? Should you ever?
Abruptly life changes in passing,
like a landslide masquerade festival,
a big covered revealed that shows you,
real masks have eyes, real masks are skeletal!
Concealed? No! We can see too.
That microbial provocation that ricochet,
such dare to sequester my hard fought privilege,
Shelter! Shelter! Once again Shelter!
Cover your mouth with cotton and stuff it;
Concealed? Drown it in textiles.
That intrusive mask, cloak and visor,
the perilous veil that split in two reminds me,
that sacrifice demands blood to enter,
atonement demands together to exit.
Concealed? Look at me on my knees.
I see you dangling from the rearview mirror,
a constant reminder to my naked self:
“When you get out there, I got you covered”
Mask I hate you, mask I need you!
Concealed? This is a breakthrough.
In my pocket you find to be closer,
to the things that really matter and I carry.
A fashion statement if you ever see any,
bring the keys, your dreams but don’t forget me.
Concealed? No, you are my testimony!
While this love and hate relationship beats me,
one slow corrosion of my self image tells me:
“A wise man knows himself to be a fool,
why do you attach to selfishness, why do you not see?”
Concealed? Fool of a Took!
When this uninvited guest breaches our homes
taking unceremoniously what to him don’t belong,
in the suffering and passing I am reminded,
someone failed our liberties, someone else their mask did not love.
Concealed? Now you’ve been exposed.
Because I loved, because I lost, piano keys keep pressing,
vibrations in your integument don’t restrict me anymore.
My masked face is the reminder that I fought and lamented
but my love for you, was not concealed anymore.
Revealed? Is no longer me, is US!
Shrink Box Podcast is a social and mental health initiative carried by Dr. German Corso (Child Psychiatrist), Dr. Daniel Gutierrez (Child Psychiatrist) and Dr. Ricardo Irizarry (Brain Injury Medicine). We are a group of mental health experts proudly serving our community at South Texas Behavioral Health and Tropical Texas Behavioral Health.