Aunt Edna and Her Black Mask
Your Aunt Edna
had asthma
and she carried around
a big black
asthmatic mask
which frightened
the life out of you
especially when
she put it over
her mouth and nose
and her eyes went
big and dark
and she said
it's ok Tony
nothing to worry about
it's to help me breathe
and she managed
to laugh
and you kind of relaxed
and watched
as she sat down
and closed her eyes
and breathed in
and her breath
came back
of its own accord
and then she put
the mask down
and she was herself again
and her dark hair
was curled and wavy
and she looked like
an actress when
she wasn't gasping
for breath
and didn't have
that awful mask
over her face
and some days
she took you
to the park nearby
and watched you
run and play
or sat with you
on a bench
when she needed
to catch her breath
and you liked the park
with its tall trees
and wide green spaces
and the green
painted railings
that went all around
and there was that
gateway you went in
and you remember dogs
running and their owners
throwing sticks or balls
but you just sat
with Aunt Edna
as she put on her mask
to find her breath
and you and she
not knowing then
that hiding behind
the asthma
was ugly Mr Death.
poem by Terry Collett
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Related quotes
Edna's Asthma
Edna had asthma
And she used to put
This big black mask
Over her face
To help her breathe
And she talked
In short gasps
And wheezed
Between words
And had the best eyes
You could remember
And a smile that lingered
Long after she turned back
To shove the mask back on
And stood with one hand
On the table to steady herself
And the other gripping the mask
And it seemed death stood
In the wings of the house
Biding his time
Leaning maybe against
The dresser or in the dark hall
And Mother said Edna thought
Others talk about her
Behind her back
And it made her quite paranoid
Hearing whispers
When it may have been
Just the harsh wind
Through loose shutters
Or dull women’s mutter
And you guess she knew
You thought about her
And loved her down
The cold long nights
Thinking of you
As that young boy
With the cheeky grin
But then death
Took off with her
Worn out and thin.
poem by Terry Collett
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The Right Mask
One night a poem came up to a poet
From now on, it said, you must wear a mask.
What kind of mask? asked the poet.
A rose mask, said the poem.
I've used it already, said the poet,
I've exhausted it.
Then wear the mask that's made out of
a nightingale's song, use that mask.
Oh, it's an old mask, said the poet,
it's all used up.
Nonsense, said the poem, it's the perfect mask,
still, try on the god mask,
now that mask illuminates heaven.
It's a tight mask, said the poet,
and the stars crawl about in it like ants.
Then try on the troubador's mask, or the singer's mask,
try on all the popular masks.
I have, said the poet, but they fit so easily.
The poem was getting impatient,
it stamped its feet like a child,
it screamed. Then try on your own face,
try the one mask that terrifies,
the mask only you could possibly use,
the mask only you could wear out.
The poet tore at his face til it bled,
this mask? he yelled, this mask?
Yes, said the poem, yes.
But the poet was tired of masks,
he had lived too long with them,
he snatched at the poem and stuck it in his face.
Its screams were muffled, it wept, it tried to be lyrical,
it wriggled into his eyes and mouth.
Next day his friends were afraid of him,
he looked so distorted.
Now it's the right mask, said the poem, the right mask.
It clung to him lovingly and never let go again.
poem by Brian Patten
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Mask
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
You look better that way
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
You look better that way
Are you my friend ?
Are you my plumber ?
Are you my God ?
What do you do ?
Wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
Which mask are you ?
Which mask are you ?
Complicated crushed up disappointed squirming angry thrusting stabbing regretting starving greedy human alien being, struggling down the street, up the alley, in the elevator, through the party, to the office, in the bedroom, on your way to the morgue. Bullshitting, lying, doing a good deed or feeling loved barely possible. Aware of insatiable demands of not a society all around you. Chunky frat boys in their shorts, pimps with old semite eyes, sex hoochies of the jungle, sensitive smart alec college graduates, critics fronting franticly in New York city, every body in L.A just plain licking ass or having it licked, irony in place of balls, balls in place of brains, brains in place of soul, where is the soul?, where is the love?, where am i?
Which mask are you ?
Which mask are you ?
Which mask are you ?
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
You're wearing a mask
which mask are you ?
song performed by by Iggy Pop
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Wearing It Now
People are around
I know I’ll be alright
The mask doesn’t hurt
No tears
Come from the mask
I put my own on
Thinking that’s the only way it should be
Becoming someone not even I can recognize
In the puddle on the ground
Stomping in it knowing this is not me
Then when the people go away
So does mask
This is the scene in the play I don’t know my lines
For I get scared and choke every time
Mine my mask just changes from
White-ish pink to a dark red
Where the mask simply goes from
Oh look at me I don’t do any thing wrong
To black showing it’s true colors
Whoever said black was all the rainbow mixed together
Is wring in this case
There is no other feeling other then black
Like truck tiers black
No sadness no joy just anger and hatred
The mask gets switched around from him to her
All the time I never know who is wearing it or
If the both of them are sharing it at the same time
So walking through that broken old door
That squeaks and carries on when you open it
You never know if this time
Will be the one time that will kill you
Or break your back
But you hope like heck you make it through
‘Cause if you don’t then you know your not
The only one the mask subjects
And the others will not survive without you
poem by Mrs. Cynosure
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Drop The Mask
(tim tickner, christopher ward, diana ross)
Look in the mirror, who do you see
Where is the man that you used to be
When you turn off the world and turn down the lights
Do you ever wonder who you are tonight
I knew you then, I love you now
You can call me up when it gets you down
Behind the shades theres someone real
Behind your eyes I wonder how you feel
This is me talking to you
Theres just one thing Im asking you to do
You gotta drop the mask, be yourself
Drop the mask
Trust someone else
No one knows what youre going through
Whatever it is, Ill be there for you
If you drop the mask, be yourself
Drop the mask
Trust someone else
I was there when it all began
I still remember the boy within the man
I understand what it means to run and hide
Theres so much that were holding onto deep down inside
This is me talking to you
The only thing that I want you to do
You gotta drop the mask, be yourself
Drop the mask
Trust someone else
No one knows what youre going through
Whatever it is, Ill be there for you
When you drop the mask, be yourself
Drop the mask
Trust someone else
Drop the mask
Drop the mask
Let down your guard, open your heart
Unlose your chains, dont be afraid
Drop the mask
Be yourself
Be yourself
Trust someone else
You gotta drop the mask
Let down your guard, oh you gotta drop the mask
Trust someone else
You gotta drop the mask
song performed by by Diana Ross
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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The Mask
You wear a mask upon your face
So people wont know of your sin and disgrace
Or of the things that you have said and done
And of the life you have ended and then again begun.
You cover up your lines and all of your tears
So no one can see the worries and your fears
Or of the anger and the hate that's on your face
So upon your face a mask you did paste.
But I wonder if anyone really does know
The color of your cheeks or the shape of your nose
Or the saddened bags underneath your eyes
From the guilt you felt from the tears of your lies.
And when you meet people I wonder do they stare
Maybe they think to themselves, who is really behind there
But then you don't care what people might say or ask
As you can conceal all, when you wear your mask.
And so that mask you will wear till your dying days
As it will become you in so many very different ways
But one day in death your mask it will then be removed
Then man and all will stand in sadness, as they see the real you.
Randy L. McClave
poem by Randy McClave
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Explorations: XIV
The mask,
Yes it's thin
And transparent
You can see
The facial contours
And the profile too...
The magic mask
Masks my pretensions
My stifled breath
My muffled tears
My dark(er) side too...
You know,
I needn't wear it everyday
It's come as part of
The birth-package!
poem by Indira Babbellapati
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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The Most Visible Mask
you have loved the most visible mask i have
my face
everyday, this face, tomorrow this face, yesterday
this face
you are proud of my nose, and you tell all your friends about
it
aquiline, conquest of a nose, occupying almost all parts
of your territory
not even the hands but this face
the mouth that eats you
the eyes that close when
i kiss you
the tongue that maps out
what has to be found when lost
this face, the most visible mask
inside
is the real face, the face of my mind
it is thinking something else
all these years
the invisible mask is silent
tomorrow shall be the scorn
you must bear it,
you are fond of the most visible
though not really enduring.
poem by Ric S. Bastasa
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He's Back
You're with your baby
And you're parked alone
On a summer night
You're deep in love
But you're deeper in the woods
You think you're doin' alright
You heard a voice
Did you see that face
Or was it just a dream
It can't be real
That only happens, babe
On the movie screen
If you see him comin'
Get away if you can
He's a dangerous man
Throws a dangerous party man
He's back
The man behind the mask
And he's out of control
He's back
The man behind the mask
He crawled out of his hole
Just to rock and roll
He's going out tonight
Going to make his rounds to get his fill
Standing staight and tall
He's a ton of fun
And he's dressed to kill
You know you read he was gone
It surely is him
But he's back on the prowl
Again and again and again
Don't you know
He's back
The man behind the mask
And he's out of control
He's back
The man behind the mask
He crawled out of his hole
Just to rock and roll
You know you read he was gone
It surely is him
But he's back on the prowl
Again and again and again
He's back
The man behind the mask
And he's out of control
He's back
The man behind the mask
He crawled out of his hole
Just to rock and roll
He's back
The man behind the mask
And he's out of control
He's back
The man behind the mask
He crawled out of his hole
Just to rock and roll
He's back
The man behind the mask
And he's out of control
He's back
The man behind the mask
He crawled out of his hole
Just to rock and roll
He's back
song performed by by Alice Cooper
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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She'll hide her face
She'll hide her face when shes not alone.
she slaps on her a mask, but its not her own.
It's the mask that everyone else wears.
She wants to be just like them
supposedly free with glee.
Free from her troubles, worries and strife.
Free from her demons that dominate her life.
But when the darkness falls.
And she's all her alone she can't hide her face.
Her mask falls and crumbles apart.
Her heart fills with the numbness she's had for many years.
Now her tears will fall she's all alone.
In her last bid for a better life,
She let the mask slip once.
She had to put it on again as they stared at her in disbelife.
The world didn't want to see her pain.
Rather belives she's an annoying pain.
So Her mask went back on.
Well she planned the day when she'd be gone.
poem by Amy Louise Kerswell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Eyes Of Mr D (Part 5)
Mr D took off his glasses,
and raised his white cane.
He struck the dark figure,
hard with the crook of the handle
in the middle of the back.
The dark figure bends backwards
revealing his mask of death.
Quickly he recovered and twisted around.
He went to strike out at Mr D,
who hooked the white cane
around one leg and pulled.
The dark figure with the mask of death
fell upon the ground.
He pulled a blade from his pocket
that glinted under the moonlight.
Mr D used the cane again
to knock the blade from his hand
into the dark waters of the lake.
The sound of sirens and blue lights filled the air.
The figure with the mask of death
tried his best to flee.
Mr D went after him.
He ran onto the wooden bridge.
Mr D caught him there.
They struggled with each other,
one getting the upper hand for a moment,
then the other.
Mr D finally hit him with his fist.
The figure spun and stumbled against the wooden guardrail.
The rail snapped under the sudden weight.
Into the dark waters,
the figure plunged and disappeared below.
Mr D came off the bridge
moments before the police arrived.
It was over now he said to himself.
The pretty woman waited there for him.
She looked, smiled, and held her hand out
to the man who saved her life.
“How did you know? ” she asked.
“My eyes told me it was going to happen.”
He then went on to explain.
When they were allowed to leave,
they left hand in hand.
“I don’t know your name.” She said,
“And here you save my life.”
He smiled. “Are you sure you want to know? ”
She nodded.
“My name is Henry De Ath,
but just call me Henry or Mr D.
On the far side of the lake,
a figure emerged
from the dark waters of the lake.
He crawled up onto the shore,
and then removed the mask of death that he wore.
He waited for a few moments
while he caught his breath,
and then hurried back to his black car.
He gave a quick glance at the blue lights,
on the far shore,
before disappearing
into the swirl of traffic for another day.
The End……………………..or is it?
poem by David Harris
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Because the mask is your face, the face is a mask, so I'm thinking of the face as a mask because of the way I see faces is coming from an African vision of the mask which is the thing that we carry around with us, it is our presentation, it's our front, it's our face.
quote by Faith Ringgold
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Masks
Different masks some people wear
Pretending to be true.
They really don't care
If you are sad or blue.
They put on a mask of Friend
And try to let you down.
They are amazingly sad when you are up
And feel so happy when you are down.
Some people wear the mask of Kindness
Which is the most horrible one.
They just kill you without any gun.
They tell you kind words
To relax your vigilance
Looking only for their own conveniance.
And after all they run away
Leaving you alone on a crossway.
There is a mask of Faithfulness
Which sells you as a good
And you live in ignorance like in a dark wood.
There is a mask of Love
That breaks your heart in pieces,
It talks about love without any ceases,
And sounds like a dramatic art
Without any feelings
It waits for your kneelings.
The mask of Tenderness is a vile thing,
The sweetest songs it sings
But only disappointment it brings.
Horrible mask is a mask of Duty,
It is sometimes so cutie.
It shouts hurrays and the next day it betrays.
There are so many masks some people wear,
All of them are different
But...they are all indifferent;
To your life, your feelings, your love.......
All the masks I named above
Have the same profiles
Even having different styles.
They betray, they ignore, they lie,
They don't even care if you die.
But they forget one thing:
The mask of Death is the only one for all.
That's all!
poem by Larisa Rzhepishevska
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Mask That Covers My Pain
I wear a mask,
A mask that covers my pain,
I wear a smile,
A smile to cover my frown,
Secretly I am sad,
No ones here to hold me,
No ones here to love me,
I have no one,
My mask covers the pain in my eyes,
My mask covers the pain in my face,
My mask covers the pain in my heart,
My mask covers the pain in me,
I am but alone,
I am but in pain,
I am the only one,
I put a mask on,
To cover my pain,
poem by Samantha Guinen
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Beneath The Mask
Beneath the mask her wander lies
projecting an image for lovers eyes.
Such endless beauty my eyes behold,
under the mask she wears so bold
She hides behind her vain-full pride,
The twist and turn of storms inside.
She sits so still, so calm a girl
And guards with faith her hidden pearl.
Behold the mask covers her face
For between its cracks lies hidden grace
And beneath that mystic mask of wood
Lies secrets of a love so good
She needs to see through sudden glee
She needs not wear the mask for me.
In her glory I need to bask
For I love the girl who wear the mask.
Beneath the mask
There is a love and compassion
Inhibition and insecurities,
But there is also the girl I love
poem by C.F Francis
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My Fake Smile
I sit here with a smile on my face
I smile as I breath in deep
I smile as I close my eyes
And i smile all day long...
The sky is dark
as the freezing winds
Seep into my cheeks and bones,
I sit here smiling silently cold and empty
I wait here frozen in time,
With my dreams torn apart
My heart encased in a tomb
I smile to mask my true emotions
The mask wear is so perfect
One needs tocome alot closer
To see the tears trickling down my eyes
Emotions swell inside
Walking on a broken path
I look up for the rainbow
Hoping one day i will get off this
Broken Path
And on to
A NEW ONE :)
poem by Anushka Arora
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What's My Name? !
What is my name and who am I?
I do not ask myself
But you
Who
Ever you are
I ask who is this David Knox
Who remains under this mask
Just a boy who runs fast?
I pray I'm more, even more than talks
With others or with you, am I more than just who i was before?
Who is this kid any more?
Is he still one to abhor?
If he is, who is me?
How can this be?
For I know him not
Though I hear every thought
I don't know myself, or what's inside
I forgot what I pledged to hide
Maye all that remains is the mask
But then I must ask
What is my name?
If my mask holds my fame
Who is he>?
Who is this shadow of a man?
Who is this dark messenger who spreads light
Who is this dead messenger that brings life
Who is this mask that urges you to take off yours
Who is this boy who claims to find his identity in Christ?
Who is David Knox
What makes 'me'
Who is that?
What's my name?
And what's that means for who I am
Tell me you must know if I do not
Because SOMEONE must!
TELL ME! WHAT'S MY NAME? !
poem by David Knox
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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Make Me A Mask
Make me a mask
That I can wear
till day is done
The wind in the trees
The falling leaves
The worlds spinning
Make me a mask
So I can laugh
till night time comes
No more can I stay
How long must I play
This game of winning
If I had known this was only a dream
I would have awakened from this sleep
Make me a mask
So I can last
till the right time comes
A tear in my eye
To light I fly
An end is beginning
song performed by by Fleetwood Mac
Submitted by Lucian Velea
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Hassle, Hassle the Crazy Cage
# Hassle hassle the crazy cage #
Raju Baruah
Mask and Mask
Here mask, there mask
Musk over musk
I have forgotten my childhood face
I have lost my childhood eyes
I have lost my childhood smiles
Where is my cittern
Where is my clad
Where I lost my self
Play with clay
Sand pitch and the toys
Dews of grass
I grab with joy
Who taught me to wear mask
From where I learn to put me in husk
Every time we cheat our self
Every time we make delft
Hassle hassle the crazy cage.
poem by Raju Baruah
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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In A Breath
Life is only one breath after another,
We are the ones who control our breaths, not oneanother.
A breath is all it takes,
To make a breath.
In a breath you could stop,
In a breath you could drop,
In a breath anything could happen,
In a breath anything could happen.
Life is the journey down a pathway,
Of which stones are breaths that show you the way.
A path to eternity, to forever.
Where you shall stay forever and ever.
In a breath you could die,
In a breath you could fly,
In a breath anything could happen,
In a breath anything could happen.
Tomorrow is yet a turn,
A turn you may not reach, but only a breath can determine,
You don't know when your final turn comes.
You do not know what you will become.
In a breath you could win,
In a breath you could sin.
In a breath anything could happen,
anything could happen.
Life is but a breath,
Air is but a breath,
In life you will find the truth,
And find air is the proof.
In a breath you could find nothing,
In a breath you could find everything,
In a breath anything could happen,
In a breath anything could happen.
You travel down a river,
Where bubbles are breaths and you are the giver.
The giver of ripples, of currents,
Of which for endurence.
In a breath you could loose,
In a breath you could choose.
In a breath anything could happen
In a breath anything could happen.
Follow the river of dreams to the sea.
This is eternity you will see.
Breath avery breath,
As if it were your last breath.
In a breath you could sail.
In a breath you could fail.
In a breath anything could happen,
anything could happen.
poem by Bethany Maxwell
Submitted by Poetry Lover
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