The Mask

Adorning my fake mien with a fake smile,
Donning a facade, I proceed to the rostrum.
Without embellishing my heart (as hard as a tile),
Without embellishing my heart - My only fulcrum.

I run around, jump around, oscillate to and fro.
I sing, I laugh, I ropewalk and I dance.
My facial muscles twitch weirdly and so does my brow.
I sing, I laugh and I go into a trance.

Camouflaging my murky past,
Camouflaging my dubious future,
Camouflaging my entire persona to the realm so vast,
I expose my veneer to transport souls into rapture.

'Neath the mask of insanity,
'Neath the cover of grins and smiles,
'Neath the coating of absurdity,
Lies a heart so tender and juvenile.

Why do I have to feign happiness ?
Why do I have to simulate enjoyment ?
Why do I have to suppress sorrow ?
Why do I have to bottle up emotions ?

An unchecked tear tiptoes,
Out of my eye, out of my socket.
The salty droplet goes unnoticed
Buried by my plastic beam.

I sniffle whilst waltzing,
I realize that I am a pawn.
A dummy, crafted to sport a synthetic zing.
An outcast, rejected and dejected.

I was sculpted to make people happy
I was sculpted to experience woe
I was sculpted to falsely present something as genuine
I was sculpted to realize just one thing - 'Pretentiousness'

I console myself.
A smile now makes its imperial entry into my visage.
The single droplet of tear evaporates.
Realization crosses the threshold.

Alas ! All human beings are like me.
"Clowns hidden under the mask of sanity"
"Clowns faking smiles, faking expressions and gestures"
"Clowns posing as homo sapiens"

"Pretentiousness" Sigh - I mutter.

Dedicated to the 'Man behind one such veil' - Veteran Actor, Comedian Charlie Chaplin

And people do make it a point to visit this link and light the candle named "hope". Let there be LIGHT.