Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Mask

An elaborate mask protects
the real me
from those who would misunderstand
dismantle or change or attack
belittle or minimize or
enlarge and magnify
beyond my interests or capabilities.
But even the mask is just a mask
like a colored butterfly eluding its prey
a spell to shield
a cloak to make invisible
with multiple eyes and mouths and features
distracting the viewer to believe
s/he has figured me out, who I am
and how to talk to me
while I crouch behind protective
covering, alternately laughing at 
other's ludicrous attempts to penetrate or 
crying at yet other's non-efforts or at 
all-out assault
despite all protection and the need to be
hidden.
(Posted for MagPie Tales 74, 7/19/11 and for One Single Impression, "Phantom", 7/19/11)

8 comments:

  1. 'even the mask is just a mask' ... great line! I enjoyed this.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I agree with Helen - a great line. I enjoyed the read

    ReplyDelete
  3. hmmm do masks protect or hide?
    got me thinking about this

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, the mask protects us and imprisons us both. We were on the same wave length with this magpie. You are very eloquent.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love the analogy to the butterfly's wings--camouflage and escape. Very nice. Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  6. A great attempt at the protective mask theme. The mask is the selected fiction that we present to the world. Well done.

    ReplyDelete
  7. laughter too is a mask... reality behind another and another and another...

    ReplyDelete
  8. I find it so interesting that most of us wear the imaginary mask and none of us realize or think that others are also doing it. Perfect piece here.

    ReplyDelete

Please share your thoughts!