No More Disguises

Annie Nguyen

In the mirror,  
you see a charmer,
an enchanter, 
casting your spells,
playing your tricks.  

A wolf in sheep’s clothing, 
disguising as sweet 
behind sharp teeth. 

I’m not afraid of your fangs, 
the side of you  
that you hide 
to blend into the flock of sheep. 

Ironically, I feel at ease, 
to see the white thread unraveling, 
the costume undoing, 
fallen wool.

Similar to a pessimist, 
pretending to be an optimist, 
it’s not easy being gentle, 
when designed to be tough.  

Be gentle when you want to be, 
Be tough when you have to be. 

–No more disguises