Welcome To The Masquerade

A poem about how broken people are at church and yet don't show it.

Hurry up kids and go grab your best masks.
It's Sunday after all so we have to wear our best.
Put on the one with the biggest smile so that everyone will see how happy you are.
Maybe even throw on a little make up to cover up your scars.
Go to the place to worship the God you have lost faith in.
Then go home and continue to fight battles that alone you can not win.
It seems that everyone at church is just playing charades.
Their true identities are never displayed.
Welcome to the masquerade.

Look at the man sitting in the back.
He is wearing a blue suit, but if it were reflecting how he feels inside then maybe it should be black.
For years now he has been on the corporate climb.
And somewhere along the line he left his warrior behind.
He's at work all day and then he stays up all night staying at a screen that tells him lies.
Each night before he goes to sleep he sits on the bed and as he looks at his wife he cries.
Because each time he gives himself away a little part of him dies.

At the man's side stands his wife.
She is always wearing a smile, but if you looked inside her you would see that she is full of strife.
She feels disgusted every time she looks in the mirror.
So she goes to the gym to fight off the years.
She would give anything to feel loved again.
Loneliness drives her to look for love from other men.
Each night as she goes to sleep she wonders if she will ever feel whole again.

Beside the parents stands a young man.
He's getting ready to graduate but he doesn't have a plan.
He's fallen in love with a beautiful young girl.
He loves her so much that, if he could, he would give her the world.
He wants to settle down with her, but he is scared to become a dad.
He isn't the best at showing love because his father never had.
The thoughts and fears of growing up are taking over his mind.
And he becomes more depressed with time.

Beside the young man stands a girl.
She is more beautiful than a pearl.
Because she doesn't receive love at home she searches for it in all of the wrong places.
She wears make up to try and stand out from the rest of the faces.
She fixes up her appearance.
And advertises her body like it were on clearance.
Maybe if her dad would have been a better example of man she wouldn't have ran off with the first guy that asked for her hand.

Welcome to the masquerade.
Where the people are all broken and afraid.
Being a Christian doesn't mean you have it all together.
It means that you know you can't fight alone and you hold on to Christ in the stormy weather of life.
Being a Christian doesn't mean you are perfect.
Everyone has their defects.
Take off your masks and show your scars.
Show people who you really are.
You are a child of Christ.
When you are in him you no longer have to hide because he gives you a new life.

Reviews

[Breezy]

I really like the subject matter of your poem. It's a topic that I've thought about many, many times and it's the reason that I stopped going to church. I also like your repetition of the line "welcome to the masquerade." It really sums up the whole poem.

[Erik Daniel]

Thank you! Glad you liked it! I wish more people would show how broken they are at church because it reflects how great Christ is!