Like an Elizabethan ball

I got dolled up.

I donned my doublet

Hopped into my hose

Bellied up my breeches

Capped my cap

Tied up my mask

I may have looked the part

But I wasn’t looking to dance.

I wasn’t looking to make lips do what hands do.

With each article I closed off more and more

Each button and tie

Every ruffle on my linen shirt added another layer of protection for my heart.

But when we met

I couldn’t help but loosen my collar and

Unbutton my shirt

Trying every moment to be more open

Everything has been pulled off except for my mask.

The mask is slipping