Sunday Scribblings

Masquerade!
Paper faces on parade...
Masquerade!
Hide your face so the world will never find
you!

Masquerade!
Every face a different shade...
Masquerade!
Look around-
There's another mask behind you!

Flash of mauve...
Splash of puce...
Fool and king...
Ghoul and goose...
Green and black...
Queen and priest...
Trace of rouge...
Face of beast...


I love masks and have always longed to attend a masquerade ball. Part of the fun of Mardi Gras for me is being able to wear a mask. Mardi Gras masks, Venetian masks, Halloween masks, tribal masks from Africa or the Amazon, even death masks cast after someone's demise... I love them all.

Faces ...
Take your turn, take a ride
On the merry-go-round...
In an inhuman race...
Eye of gold...
Thigh of blue...
True is false...
Who is who?
Curl of lip...
Swirl of gown...
Ace of hearts...
Face of clown...

Faces...
Drink it in, drink it up,
'Til you've drowned
In the light,
In the sound...
But who can name the face?

The allure, of course, is obvious. A mask both reveals and conceals. Your identity is hidden. An aspect of yourself is revealed, whether intentionally so or not. There is a wonderful freedom in anonymity that we don't feel when our recognized face is revealed.

Masquerade!
Grinning yellows,
Spinning reds...
Masquerade!
Take your fill
Let the spectacle astound you!

Masquerade!
Burning glances,
Turning heads...
Masquerade!
Stop and stare
At the sea of smiles around you!

Masks evoke questions. What are we trying to hide? Why do we want to hide? What are we really revealing? A mask opens your minds to possibilities. It allows you to see yourself and others in a new way. You can try on masks and discard them, becoming someone new with each new face, lush, grotesque, funny, scary, whatever you choose.

Masquerade!
Seething shadows,
Breathing lies...
Masquerade!
You can fool any friend Who ever knew
you!

Masquerade!
Leering satyrs,
peering eyes...
Masquerade!
Run and hide-
But a face will still pursue you!

I think there are times when our publicly recognized identity is foisted upon us. We wear the face we feel we have to wear and keep the rest of ourselves hidden. Hiding can be fun. It's tantalizing and can be an invitation to learn more. To a potential friend or a possible new love, a mask can be the beginning of a journey of discovery. It can be to the wearer as well.

This entry is part of Sunday Scribblings.

Song lyrics are from Masquerade from The Phantom of the Opera by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Charles Hart.

Sunday Scribblings, masks, Phantom of the Opera, song lyrics