Masquerade Poem by Carol Fleming Klein

Are the curving fringe of dark lashes
And the ruby lips
With the quick flashing smile
Just another mask
of the many
artfully applied

How can a smile walk
When tears wait
on the wings
and the stage curtain hangs shut

How can the audience applaud
When the only actors
are the mimes
and the clowns

And the gaze from behind dark lashes
is still, shuttered and black
And lips close slowly over
a steady smile
And the curtain has gone down for the night

How can a smile walk
When tears wait
on the wings?

Friday, December 23,1988