I hurt inside;
A great big hurt that never
          quite goes away.
Sometimes I hardly notice it,
Mostly it is blurry soft,
          hidden away,
     And I never feel it at all.
But 
     it is there.
And it stings;
It comes on sharp and deep
     and at times nearly
     crushes me--
     
To know that the wound
     can never really heal,
     that the pain will be there
     when the mask is gone.
     
--2/14/71