Two Masks

 

 

I once wore two masks

Tragedy and Comedy

My Tragedy Mask

became worn and faded

 

So I took my comedy mask

from its velvet lined case

The gold still shone

and the wood still smelled

of fresh oak

 

I placed it on my face

and bonded it with wax

and tree sap

 

I wore a face of comedy

as I burned my mask

of Tragedy

 

Now I play just the fool

My appearance jovial

My voice jolly

I bring joy to my audience

 

Now my cries of anguish and pain

are yelps and hollers as I stumble about

My tears are only good for making the floor slick

all the better to slip and trip upon

My lamentations

stuttered gibberish

sure to crack a smile in

the stoniest face

 

Those are not sobs you hear

but an imitation of bad plumbing

or some forest creature

maybe indigestion

 

Trust your eyes

Look at my face

See?  I'm Happy

I make you happy

Everything's fine

 

Don't sit too close though

You'll ruin the show

The mask doesn't quite

cover my eyes

They're liars, you see

They want to ruin everything

They want you to believe

all is not well

 

Hollow winds blow there

A cold place A lonely place

A dark hole with no bottom

 

But fear not!  As I say

they are liars

 

Forgive me good people

It seems my mask of  Comedy

is getting a bit warped and cracked

 

But don't worry

I'm sure the face beneath

is as pleasurable as the mask

 

I burned the mask of Tragedy

It will trouble us no longer

 

So what if I can no longer

wear my mask of comedy

It is just a mask after all

It can not create wit,

or humor or good graces

 

I will be just as good without it

 

Do not fear

you will laugh

just as hard

Your sides will split

Your throat will go hoarse

with braying and guffaws

Your eyes will water and blur

with tears of joy

you'll gasp for air

between contorted

syllables of amusement

 

I'm here for your pleasure

I pray I amuse and allow you

to forget your troubles

What other purpose do I serve

 

The mask of Tragedy served

no purpose

It gave nothing to me and nothing to you

But with this mask things make sense

I can make you happy

I have purpose

 

I'm sure the face beneath

will delight you just as much

I do not know for sure

for it has been a long time

since I have been without

a mask

 

But as I say I'm sure

it will satisfy your hunger

for a good laugh

 

But remember

do not look at my eyes

Avoid them

They're liars you see

and they'll ruin

everything

Reviews

[None]

It's hard to play the jester for too long. You wrote this quite well. You entertain and stir up images of the drama involved with two masks. That's good you took them off and you can always wear sunglasses! Nicely thought out and written.

[Candle in the wind]

I can make you happy

I have purpose

Why do we have to justify our existence so? why do we have to play a meaning ful role in another's life.
Why do we have to utther"contorted syllables of amusement"

I guess the world needs jesters whose "cries of anguish and pain are yelps and hollers "

uncanny write.