The Mask I Wear


by, Samantha Syrnich TLC

I wear a mask that says,
“It’s okay,”
A practiced smile,
a role I play.
My lips say,
“I’m fine,” though inside,
A storm of pain I cannot hide.

I cloak my heart in silken lies,
Deny the tears that fill my eyes.
In shadows dark,
I fall apart,
And sorrow fills my broken heart.

I tire of always understanding,
Long for someone,
gently commanding:
“Lay down your mask,
let truth reveal,
Your pain is real, it’s time to heal.”

I yearn for someone to see me clear,
To whisper softly,
“I am here.
No need to hide,
let sorrow show,
Your feelings matter,
let them flow.”

So here I stand, with heart exposed,
Dreaming of the day, I’ll be composed.
When understanding meets my plea,
And someone says,
“I see you. You are free.”

© 2024 Samantha Syrnich TLC. All rights reserved.

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Published by Samantha Syrnich TLC

About The Hand Behind The Phoenix Quill— I’ve lived many lives within one — some born of light, some forged in fire. Each left its mark, and in the ashes, I found my voice. The Phoenix Quill was never just a name; it became my heartbeat — a place where pain turned to purpose, and truth was no longer something to survive, but something to share. I am a poet, artist, advocate, and storyteller — guided by a love that refuses to die quietly. Through words and imagery, I tell stories of resilience, of rising when the world says you’ve fallen too far. My work carries pieces of the people and places that shaped me — veterans, children, the voiceless, the forgotten — and the fire that demanded their stories be heard. Every poem, every painting, every creation under The Phoenix Quill is born from that promise: to turn heartbreak into healing, to honor truth even when it burns, and to remind others that they, too, can rise. This is my life’s work — to give voice to the silence, hope to the weary, and beauty to the broken. Welcome to The Phoenix Quill: Words Born of Fire, Inked in Truth. Where ashes become art — and every word remembers how to rise.

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