She Wore A Mask

She wore a mask today -
You know,
the one she wears when she pretends she doesn't hear you?
Her smile was as fake-
as the porcelain nails on each finger.
Her voice, like the sound of metal on a chalkboard,
made me cringe.
She spewed out obscenities known to her personality;
her cruel gift of sarcasm,wrapped in an angry box,
tied with a bow of bitter laughter,
was most often left for me.

She wore a mask today -
still I recognized her.

There is nothing as transparent
as the thinly veiled disguise . . . .
of narcissistic pride.