Mask of Life


Master makers of motley masks are we

Making masks like a dainty packrat’s nest

Bits of the world woven for all to see


World is too wild for one naked to be

Hiding behind masks can one safely rest

Master makers of motley masks are we


Pick and choose as per his fancy does he

The packrat material for his nest

Bits of the world woven for all to see


The true face lies safe under lock and key

The mask goes out and faces life’s contest

Master makers of motley masks are we


  Does provide material every

 Experience to forge one’s mask the best

Bits of the world woven for all to see


One day true self will soar high and fly free

Only the best masks will stay and time test

Master makers of motley masks are we

Bits of the world woven for all to see


My first attempt at a type of poetry called Vilanelle. Here's the definition from Wikipedia. The accompanying picture belongs to Tess Kincaid of Magpie Tales. This poem has been inspired by the photo. I tried to compare the human life to that of a packrat. The same way packrat that lives a short life leaves behind middens that last for centuries, humans leave behind memories. The way packrat builds its nest from things around, we build our personalities from the experiences the world gives us. Our personalities are like our masks that we present to the world and that is what the people remember after we are gone. This post had been posted for weekly prompt for Magpie Tales Mag 74 and Jingle Poetry Week 44 Poetry Potluck- Painting Whispers.

17 comments:

Dave King said...

Great response to the prompt. A real cracker.

Arti said...

Wonderful poem! True each word of it, loved it!

Marbles in My Pocket said...

Great writing on the mask prompt. Your words speak volumes about the state we find ourselves in.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks, Arti. Good to see your comment after quite a while.

Thanks, Dave and Marbles.

Tess Kincaid said...

I love the villanelle style. Well done.

Chronicles of Illusions said...

Imaginative use of the refrain throughout. Great alliteration. :)

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

cool take on the prompt.

your words inspire, glad to see you share with poetry potluck.

T F Carthick said...

Thanks a lot for your encouraging comments, Tess, Joe and Jingle

Stan Szczesny said...

I always love your experiments with new poetic forms. "Master makers of motley masks" is a very cool line. I loved the chant like repetition of it. I'm wondering now if the climatic poem in Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man is a vilanelle

Anonymous said...

I really love this, in my earlier poems I wrote frequently about the masks we wear. Gorgeous poem I love the rhythm and repetition

Anonymous said...

I am always in awe of people who are able to create beautiful poems using forms... I just never am able to get my head around them. This was well done and beautiful!!

Doctor FTSE said...

Great attempt at this very difficult form.

smiling soul said...

wow!! its really great concept ...& ur expression is superb!!

"One day true self will soar high and fly free"

very very true word!!

keep writing & smiling always :)

T F Carthick said...

Thanks a lot, Stan, mindlovemisery,ccchampagne, Doctor FTSE and Sowmya.

@Stan - The wiki article on vilanelle mentions the poem you mention as a vilanelle.

@mindlovesmisery - Usually rhyme and rythm come much better when following standard forms I feel

@ccchampagene - I somehow find form poetry easier than free verse.

Trellissimo said...

Victorious vilanelle...

Kalahari blues said...

The true face lies safe under lock and key


The mask goes out and faces life’s contest


the above lines were great!

T F Carthick said...

Thanks a lot, Trellismo and Kalahari Blues.

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