Paint Brush ~ Bettie B. Youngs

Here's a poem i found in one of those chicken soup books ... it's probably one of my favourites and it's how i feel almost all the time ... there are very, very few people who actually get to see the real me...

Paint Brush
By Bettie B. Youngs

I keep my paint brush with me
Whereever I may go,
In case I need to cover up
So the real me doesn't show.
I'm so afraid to show you me,
Afraid of you'll do - that
You might laugh or say mean things.
I'm afraid I might lose you.

I'd like to remove all my paint coats
To show you the real, true me,
But I want you to try and understand,
I need you to accept what you see.
So if you'll be patient and close your eyes,
I'll strip off all my coats real slow.
Please understand how much it hurts
To let the real me show.

Now all my coats are stripped off.
I feel naked, bare, and cold,
And if you still love me with all that you see,
You are my friend, pure as gold.
I need to save my paintbrush, though,
And hold it in my hand,
I want to keep it handy
In case somebody doesn't understand.
So please protect me, my dear friend
And thanks for loving me true,
But please let me keep my paint brush with me
Until I love me too.