The Mask

We all have our Masks...

The Mask 

A Poem by Colton Warr

Tell me, if you could,

What can you hide behind your mask? 

What treacherous thoughts, what eroding emotion. 

I will answer, but only because you ask

I'll tell you, because I can 

A divided family, a questionable love

A decision made to leave a perfect girl 

An innocent mirage that I cannot get out of

I'll tell you, because I can 

New beginnings and abrupt endings 

A phantom haunting my heart and soul

My god, where am I heading? 

I'll tell you, because I can 

Am I the one doing the marooning, or am I being marooned? 

Pushing and pulling at my own pleasure 

Can't you taste my wound? 

I'll tell you, because I can 

I love my family, I hate my true love

Or perhaps did I confuse the two? 

Can't you tell, I am such the wholesome Dove? 

I'll tell you, because I can 

Have I gone too far, should I be caged alone?

I deserve to be by myself 

Forever destined to aimlessly roam  

I'll tell you, because I can 

What damnation awaits me, you politely ask

But perhaps it is you that should decide

Am I the one wearing a Mask? 

Reviews

[Nessie_AJ]

This is awesome! I love how the narrator seems to have move past but like all humans we always feel a connection to our pain.

[Colton Warr]

Thank you so much, Nessie! I do believe we all have our masks, and sometimes they are used to hide pain. Even after we have ripped off the masks, we can still feel their pain. I'm happy that you enjoyed this one, thanks for reading!

[Michael (Letters and Li..]

I love this concept. We all wear masks at some points in our lives. But the real question is who are the ones that can truly see us for who we are, behind all of the different masks? Your poem is a very interesting answer to that question. You leave the answer as a rhetorical question: Is it only the people who hide themselves that can tell when others are hiding?

An amazing write here, my friend. Left me thinking and pondering, which is what all great art should do.

[Colton Warr]

Thank you very much, Michael! Exactly, I do believe that we all wear masks, and perhaps there are people in our lives that can see us for who we truly are, despite the masks. One of the most liberating things can be to rip said masks off and reveal something true about yourself. I guess I somewhat did that here. I'm glad you enjoyed this one, thanks for reading!

[~]

This poem made me think, of all the mini-personalities we hide within ourselves to survive. I don't think it is always wrong. If we try and define ourselves only on one plane, then we would miss the complex nature of human beings. yet, i do understand that sometimes, people pretend and that is the time when clarity is needed to decipher the reason behind it.
very thought provoking. :D

[Colton Warr]

I understand your point. Perhaps not all of the masks we use are wrong or a negative thing. Sometimes we need masks in order to get through a situation. I agree with that. I agree that humans are a complex being and we do all have our masks, but perhaps that isn't always a bad thing. Thank you very much for giving this one a read!

[~]

:D I liked it, and I will be reading more :D

[Real Inspiration]

You should make the font bigger because I can't read this...I will review if you make it larger. Sorry for the inconvenience.

[Colton Warr]

Just mad it a little bigger for you, let me know if thats good or not!

[Real Inspiration]

"Am I the one doing the marooning, or am I being marooned?
Pushing and pulling at my own pleasure
Can't you taste my wound? "

This part sent chills down my back. I love it!

[Colton Warr]

Thank you very much, my friend! I'm glad you enjoyed this one! Thanks for giving this a read!

[Real Inspiration]

No problem. Thank you for writing it!

[Gabrielle Linch]

I love this so much. The last two lines are by far my favorite.

[Colton Warr]

Thank you very much, Gabrielle! Im happy that you love this! The last two lines were actually probably my favorite to write. The whole piece was a very liberating piece by way of ripping off a piece of my mask. And I encourage everyone to try and do the same! Thanks for reading!

[Helena]

we all wear masks, sometimes we wear them for so long that we can't tell anymore where is our real selves! i love this poem,
Thanks for sharing!

[Colton Warr]

Thank you very much, Helena! Im happy that you enjoyed this one! Exactly, we all have our masks. The longer that we wear them the more apart of us they become. Thanks for reading!

[earthperceptions]

Beautiful. I love that the narrator addresses and questions the reader as well as their self. the words and phrases you use are powerful "eroding emotion" "marooning" "I love my family, hate my true love" "caged" this is a narrator with a feeling, thoughtful soul. I like the concept of getting out of our own perceptions and thinking if what we believe to be true is actually authentic and sincere. I look forward to reading more!

[Colton Warr]

Thank you so much! I am glad that you enjoyed this piece! Your words are too kind! Some of my life came gushing out in this piece, which was liberating because I was ripping off a mask. Thanks for reading!

[Michael G. Smith]

Sounds to me like the author is basically human in every way. A good person always questions him or herself internally keeping themselves in check while pushing forward to do the right thing.

[Colton Warr]

Exactly, Michael! I couldn't agree more! I am happy that you get what this poem is trying to convey. Thanks for giving this a read!

[tessa victoria]

In a way, I saw this as the person is saying "I'll be everything, I'll fake it all. I'll be what everyone wants me to be or what they see me as" like it's society in a way saying everyone is this so you supposedly have to do exactly that, when you aren't sure if you want to.

I really really like this poem.

[Colton Warr]

Thank you, Tessa! I am very happy you liked this poem! You're exactly right, society dictates the norm and causes people who feel like they don't fit into that norm to put on a mask and change who they are. We all have our masks, I pray for a day where we all can rip them off and be ourselves. Thanks for reading!

[Leslie Philibert]

Great reworking of a common image, here turned into something new !

[Colton Warr]

Thank you very much, Leslie! Im happy you enjoyed this one, thanks for reading!