31

Since the beginning of time
Othering lines have been drawn
lines that create the family 
and lines that create monsters
boldly declaring the boundaries
and defining what is normal
leaving so many humans
standing outside those lines
feeling alone and inhuman
so I put on my mask to be safe
and do my best to stay within the lines
pretending to be normal
knowing those rules could change
these lines could include me
but they don't, leaving me Other
something outside the family
somehow unsafe and uncertain
this mask is actually a shield
protecting me from all those
making lines and monsters