Travesty

“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.” - Thoreau

Television teases and taunts with a plethora of parasitic propaganda.

Giving just enough rope to hang ourselves.

The bony hand of Hell holds the remote control.

Two-faced pale like old snow.

Petulant and pimpled.

Expressionless.

Stoic.

Neither laughing nor smiling.

Only black and white.

No shades of grey.

Life is a marathon.

I'm a sprinter.

I'm still young but I feel old.

World zigs whilst I zag.

Tossed aside like an old dish rag.

Corner of my eye, still a glint.

Can take a hint.

Preferring to drop one instead.

I've run the gauntlet.

In neat little rows.

We all wear masks.

In a comedy of errors.

Living our lives like office staplers.

Barely holding things together and no one really cares.

Armies march diligently.

Looking for a reason.

Abhorring treason.

They roll up the sidewalks at night.

Whilst I hold earth upon my shoulders.

Sweeping the days trash from the gutter into the river of righteousness.

Compass points true magnetic north.

What is true?

Where is that?

Why can't I ever get there?

I float like there's no gravity.

Fighting the good fight.

Never belonging to their club.

Not even desired.

Membership denied.

'Tis nothing but a tainted, twisted ...

... travesty ...

Author's Note

“The mass of men lead lives of quiet desperation. What is called resignation is confirmed desperation. From the desperate city you go into the desperate country, and have to console yourself with the bravery of minks and muskrats. A stereotyped but unconscious despair is concealed even under what are called the games and amusements of mankind. There is no play in them, for this comes after work. But it is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things.” - Thoreau

Reviews

[dead letter office]

"We all wear masks." reminds me of "We wear the masks" by Paul Laurence Dunbar

[Pete]

thank you for taking a peek. appreciated ... :)

[Chris Shaw]

Be true to yourself. There is no other honest way of living. Interesting thoughts in your excellent poetry Pete. Thanks for sharing.

Chris

[Pete]

thank you Chris. what did old Bill Shakespeare say, "To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man."

[Chris Shaw]

Well done you quoting old Bill Shakespeare. Wot a guy! What a quote.

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

Thoreau was such a smart cookie ....and your poem took me and shook me hard and knowing. It held me at the shoulders lifted my chin and said...Be yourself...your more than that! I'm Listening...

[Gypsy Warrior Queen]

The pleasure is mine. :)

[Pete]

he is my muse who put the 't' in transcendentalism. thank you for becoming unmasked Queenie! ... :)

[Kelly Scheppers]

"We all wear masks.
In a comedy of errors.
Living our lives like office staplers."

No one explicates mankind with bravado like you do, Pete!

[Pete]

thanks for the thoughts Kelly and no one waxes romantic like you do ... :)