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| Artwork courtesy of Natasha for "In Tandem #8" |
My Masquerade
Through the looking glass
she often startles me,
her accusing gaze
seeing through
my masquerade.
Camouflaged within
she occasionally peeks through
my veil of sarcasm and pretense.
She wants out. I lower my lashes
to block her escape
and let the music's beat
take control
as hands reach out
to touch, to exploit
and exotic lights flicker
orange, blue and red.
Survive, I will
as long as she remains concealed
and I remember to dance
with my eyes closed.
Margaret Bednar, Art Happens 365, September 4, 2011
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This is for Jinksy's "In Tandem #8". Write your own response to the above art work OR go to her sight by clicking HERE and select another, less vibrant image.
I also am entering this into one of my favorite poetry sites: dVerse's "Open Link Night #8". dVerse offers a number of things throughout the week and they are a first class site. Check them out!
I also am entering this into one of my favorite poetry sites: dVerse's "Open Link Night #8". dVerse offers a number of things throughout the week and they are a first class site. Check them out!
24 comments:
i like this very much!
hmmm...i wonder just what it might be like to let her out once in a while..smiles...
I like that you don't describe her in any way. Her possibilities are expansive because of that, and it adds richness to your poem.
You never can tell what goes on behind closed eyes! Great take on Natasha's picture, and thanks for another Tandem ride. ♥
Fabulous Tandem! Love the depth you have pulled from the veils.
To use Jung's term, she is your "shadow self." Let her out from time to time, let her dance with her eyes open, integrate her into your other self, the "acceptable" self that you think is critical to survival. She is part of you and you will survive together.
Thanks all. FYI - Most of my poetry is not about me but about what I imagine. It's fun to let my mind create different characters and circumstances. BUT most of what we write I suppose does reflect what we have been exposed to - whether something that has happened to us or someone else. I find it VERY interesting that a prompt for the Poetry Jam this week was to write something funny. I think I approach life with a lot of humor... but I had nothing for that. I guess that will be my new challenge... Again, thanks so much for stopping by! :)
George -I'll have to look up Jung - a philosopher I would guess? Thanks for the thoughtful comment.
Powerful words, Margaret... especially the 2nd stanza.
Girl, I think I wrote this. :P
I love the concluding ...
"as long as she remains concealed
and I remember to dance
with my eyes closed"
that is why they say break a leg, you know...smiles.
Dance, dance! Let her out! :) Beautiful poem.
hmmm sounds intriguing..wonder what she would look like...think we all have her living somewhere behind closed eyes...smiles
it was such a soft landing at the end i had to read it again more slowly. did you purposefully put an extra space between 'she wants out.' and 'i lower my lashes.'?
enjoyed it very much.
You did a wonderful job capturing the essence of the photo with your poem. Your words are inspiring indeed! I am starting a photography and poetry challenge called A Picture Speaks. I would like to cordially invite you to stop by and enter the challenge. Your work is precisely what I was hoping to showcase. Again, great poem!
Laurie - thanks. The second stanza is my fav as well. It was a crazy drawing to write a poetry too. :)
Shawna - Oh, I hope not based on real life, thought! :) Thanks.
Brian - so nice to comment twice. :)
Rachel - Well, how I read the poem, she might be better tucked away, inside. I was thinking she is a stripper or prostitute and on drugs. Her real self is tucked inside, protected from the environment she has chosen... But I can see now how it can be read a different way... :)
Claudia - we all do have something hidden inside, I agree. ;)
Ed Pilolla - I did mean to put a space there as I meant to try and capture staring into the mirror. Maybe a bit shocked. And "I lower my lashes wraps to the next line. I gave it a "soft" landing (I like how you put that) because she continues on with her destructive behavior but... she is still safe inside... maybe she will eventually choose to escape.
I don't know.... I'm trying to be less "spilling it all on the page" kind of poetry writer and let some things unravel a bit more for the reader... It is hard for me to do that! :)
Thanks, everyone, for your comments.
I love it!
I like your idea of the masque in the mirror. I think we all create a masque for the mirror - knowing the revelation is only two dimensional and keeping the third dimension private. Enjoyed the work very much. Gay
Hi, Rob Kistner here. This is a piece well written, engaging – good work… mine is here: http://www.image-verse.com/clown
Margaret Bednar...
You Rock!
A lot can be read into the need to wear a mask of sarcasm and pretense to survive. Perhaps abuse, the feeling of no way out. I love the mystery behind this masquerade. Very intriguing and interesting piece. I liked this Margaret!
Lovely verse!
We do have a lot of 'aspects' don't we!? My occasional wicked side, teams with wild- on rare release-
more often humor lately! Thanks.
Thank you all for commenting and saying you enjoy my poetry! It really does make my heart soar :) And I'm off to see you awesome talent now...
A dance with herself... what a true and dignified way to say that sometimes we hide even from ourselves.... Your poem was delightful, your word choices immaculate... absolutely a pleasure... Sorry I'm so late, I'm a slow reader.... almost through the dVerse list though! Thank you for sharing this...
My dVerse Open Link Night #8 Poem
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