First Days

Your alarm clock starts to yell at you
Telling you the morning has arrived
You argue,
Burrowing into the blankets wishing for more,
More time,
More warmth,
But the sun is peaking over the smoky mountains
That traitorous orb floating in the blue field of sky.

Groggy, you shuffle into the bathroom
Turn on the water, close the shower curtains
Stand there and let a warm stream of water beat at your back.
You step out, dry off, and paint on your smile

Grumbling, you grab your things
Start the car
Start rehearsing
The words you will speak
The face you will show
Showy, or shy? First impressions go far
Friendly, but quiet enough to escape notice
Maybe, you’ll let someone in to see your true colors
Beautiful swirls of emotion, delicate details that make you unique
Not this powdered facade.