Deep beneath the web of wrinkled lines
And freckles spanning the face
Lies a soul that has mastered
The art of battling the woes 
And disastrous circumstances
Sprung by the profound race of life
Yet not a tear to be seen within
The wandering eyes...

The sunken space between the contours
Of the jawline and cheekbones
Are a testimony of someone
Ready to face the world, while
Parallel to the laugh lines lie the wrinkles
Etched on the face and forehead
A sanctuary of bygone eras;
The face tells it all...

Yes, The Face tells it all!

-

A distorted, blackened
Reflection of you
Following you everywhere
Without cringing...

A manifestation of all that you are 
A replica of your inner self
And everything you don't want
The world to see...

A sun kissed reflection of you,
At sundown when  the world
Becomes a silhouette
Defining the contours of space...

As I stand back in the crowd
I see some real people with smiling faces
Living with the shadows
Struggling. Coping. Surviving.

-