The Masked Ball

(c) John S. Nasche Sep 27, 1989

The King and his Queen sent out the criers to all the land.
"A great Ball is to be held!"
From all the land and from The Land they came.
(Yes, even from the Green Place, although they were very shy,
and one had to look quick to see them such was their talent in remaining unseen.
But they were there, for I heard them chuckling in the darker corners at the foolishness that they beheld.)
But Lo!
Such strangeness!
Even though naught was said of it, everyone that came wore his or her masks!
(You and I were the only ones that did not, so people looked at us in a strange way, wondering why we choose to be so different.)
T'was a strange sight, –
All of the Ladies and Lords, -
The Knights and the Squires, -
Even the King and his Queen, -
All dressed in their finest royal robes and gowns -
And every one of them wearing a silly mask.
Some of the masks were the masks of piousness, as if they were holy and just people.
(We knew that their hearts were black and cold).
Other masks were of great smiling faces proclaiming, "All is well!” -
But from underneath the corners we could see tears falling like rain.
Masks, -
All the masks that people wear.
Masks of righteousness, -
Masks of peace, -
Masks of debauchery, -
Masks of understanding.
Masks of the gentle father, (while harshly scolding his children).
Masks of the loving wife, (while wickedly stroking the arms and loins of other men).
Masks of the faithful lover, (with bodies still aglow with the sheen of sweaty passion from their last encounter with a stranger).
All the masks, - and it saddened me.
And so I left the main ballroom and found a quiet corner where a single candle sputtered in its holder.
There alone, (or so I thought), I touched fire to my pipe filled with the Noble Herb, -
And sat musing as I sipped from my goblet of wine.
Then there was the touch, -
Your touch, -
On my sleeve, -
On my heart.
I turned and you stood there alone with a gentle smile on your face.
Your face, -
Not a mask.
"May I join you?" you asked.
"I have tired of the masks."
"Indeed!" I replied. "What is your name?"
"Love" is all you said.
"Love is" all you said.
"Love is all" you said.
Love is all you said.
And I smiled.



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