CYCLOPS UNMASKED (photomorph) & THE TRUE BEAUTY OF A MASK (free verse dream poem) by Roswila

THE TRUE BEAUTY OF A MASK

he’s so gross: dirty, angry, twisted
he’s almost not human, but I’m
inexplicably drawn to him; although
I’ve frozen everyone out, locking up
even the slightest vestige of caring
for anyone (faked or real) denying it
all as too painful, in an odd way, as
if having taken my final vows for
fully cloistered nun-hood; and so
I tell him, speaking in hushed tones
as if sliding aside the little panel
in a catholic confessional myself,
not waiting for some priest to do
it for us: You know, you don’t
have to be this way all the time
… no, no, I’m not suggesting you
become someone other than who
you are, not at all, I’d never do
that, the struggle to be ourselves
no matter who or what we sense
that self may be, is all many of us
ever has in this life … but I am
saying you can leave this essential,
semi-nonhuman self of yours behind
once in a while, take a vacation, so
to speak, from him, even more for
your own sake than for anyone else’s;
yes, yes, consciously use your over-
developed ability to deny and do it
in your own favor for a change:
putting on a good face once in a
while never hurt anyone, and might
help you; just remember the true
beauty of a mask: one simply takes
it off when it gets too hot, letting
the reality it contained for a time,
human or no, breathe freely
again, unobstructed


[free verse poem on a dream of 8-14-19. Photomorph “Cyclops Unmasked” (6-28-09 2988v4) by Roswila]

PLEASE NOTE: in most browsers you can click on the above image for a larger version. Also, the photo accompanying a post is not necessarily meant to illustrate it, but to reflect some small, even slant aspect of the verse, similar to Japanese haiga (illustrated haiku).

There are many other sorts of posts on this blog. I indicate which are about or influenced by dreams. Some non dream focused posts are book reviews, "regular" poems (some by other writers), scifaiku, writing exercises, Tarot haiku, photos, haiga, and so on. However, most of those are in much older posts. There's a listing by month going back to early 2006, at the end of the sidebar.

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until next time, keep dreaming,





[a/k/a Patricia Kelly]
**** If you wish to copy or use any of my writing or poems, please email me for permission (under “View my complete profile”). Roswila's other blog (dedicated to her photos only, i.e. no poetry or other writing; daily post); TRYING TO HOLD A BOX OF LIGHT.