
I take off my mask
and touch the wounds in my soul.
Light shines through the holes.
Pain now transparent,
I see varied shades of red.
Bleeding is widespread.
Blood pools on the floor.
I slip and fall to my knees.
Forgive me, I plead.
People I’ve broken
gather around and mock me.
They have no pity.
They fuse mask to skin.
There’s no escaping my pain.
It’s now trapped within.
Enter to win a FREE Jason polymer sculpture by participating in one of the events below!!!
In the Comments Section, write a Micro-poem or Micro-Story using the prompt word “mask”
OR
Complete this scenario with a poem or story:
A masked maniac raises a rusted machete—the carnivorous edge eclipses the silver cratered world—while two campers squirm inside a sleeping bag.
…What happens next? Well…that’s up to you!
Fabulous Blog Event Writers
1. Oh, the pain behind the mask, I think we all wear one at some point of time.
ivors20
2. I vote that the machete-wielding masked maniac drops his weapon and joins the campers for some good ole summer squirmin’.
oglach
3. We want to be liked and impress so a mask is worn.. which only exhausts us in the end..
Christy B
4. Best not to take off that mask…keep the squiggling, squirming, screeching monster hidden behind a sweet plastic smile, letting it out through one’s fingers to play on paper and canvas only, no sharp instruments within its reach. Safer for everyone that way. MC Clark
5. We seldom show our true skin. We all wear masks. And, sometimes the mask becomes more familiar than the skin…so much so, that even the pain gets trapped in it… Maniparna Sengupta Majumder
Nicely penned Down and subtle voice.
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Thank you!
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Very deep words……
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Ah, grazie, amico della farfalla!
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E’ sempre un piacere……
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Mask to skin. I love it. There is a lot of pain in this poem. Lots to think about. Very good.
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I wanted to put a human spin on Jason from Friday the 13th that people who have never seen the movies would still find some way to relate to the poems. Thanks Stephen! It’s fun getting dark 🙂
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Had to read it three times, and think will come back later… there are so many layers in this one. Very well done, Rose! Now, I´m off digesting your poetry 😉 xoxo ❤
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Ha! I love how you phrase your comments. I know that you also like delving into bits of horror here and there. I hope you don’t get bitten back while digesting my macabre words, but something tells me that you’re fierce! Thanks Sarah. ❤ xxxx
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Haha! Thank you, Rose! Yeah, a little bit of horror keeps you on your toes (and running – which is good for one´s body, eh? 😉 Unless you want to be “a body” 😉 No, no, I´d rather be a nobody than a body 😉 )
Have a wonderful day! 🙂 xoxo ❤
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You’re so funny! 😀 What a sweetheart you are, Sarah, and terribly clever!! ❤
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Hahaha! Thanks sweetie! 😄 You always make me smile (and blush too)! 😄😘💕
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Oh, gosh, I love to make you blush! ❤
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Hehe! 😉😄 xoxo 💕
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Beautifully done. Each Haiku is perfect standalone, and the whole of them more than the sum of the parts, as it were.
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Hello! I’m intrigued by your blog and the way you explore such diverse subjects. I peeked in at your Dark Sonnets, and need to read that post more closely. Fascinating. Thank you for taking the time to visit and leaving such a lovely compliment!
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Thanks! Some of the recent posts are some of us playing around a collaborating on finishing each other’s poems. A lot of fun. Crow (https://wordsandfeathers.com/) gave me your site as someone he likes to follow, so glad he did!
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I must remember to give Crow a peck on his beak. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Q!
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Five awesome and deeply dark
Haikus. Bravo Rose. 💕
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Thank you, my British friend! I toast the dark with you, darling Alan. ❤ 🥂
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Oh, the pain behind the mask, I think we all wear one at some point of time.
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Hi! Thank you for your potent words! I shall post it on this blog with your link. You may not have intentionally written it for this particular blog event, but your comment surely fits the activities we’ve requested 🙂
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Some seriously dark and well written haiku…so dark that I had to read them in reverse order for a happier ending. Speaking of happy endings, I vote that the machete-wielding masked maniac drops his weapon and joins the campers for some good ole summer squirmin’. 🙂
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You’re so funny! I adore your silliness and attention.Your good ole summer squirmin’ will also be posted above.
Love it! Your happy ending brought to mind PitBull’s song, “Give me Everything”….. “Grab somebody sexy, tell ’em hey, give me everything tonight!” Lol. 😀 xo
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Oh, Ai, that hit the core, my dear poet. Y’r such a star.
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Ah, you! ❤ I hope I'm a shooting star — I do like my .44 Magnum 😀
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I’m afraid the two campers will end up quite bad, if it’s up to me. Nice poems 🙂
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Oh, don’t be shy! I’d love to read your ending. Thanks!! 😀
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This is so dark and deep, like someone who reached a breaking point.. or has been judged harshly. But it is sensed the accusers will get theirs… they always do.
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You’re so right! Jason from Friday the 13th was on my mind as I wrote this since Carrie makes a helluva amazing Jason mask sculpture. If you’ve ever watched the movie, you know that no one ever gets away unscathed. Thanks JC!
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Always tuning into my wavelength. I was going to do s sculpture of a person wearing a noh mask, but the underlying face turned out so cool, I didn’t want to cover it up. Good collection and progression, Rose.
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You tease! Are you gonna share your sculpture or what? I’d love to see it.
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I’m going to post them in order. Over a loooong period of time.
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The mask… wow.. we want to be liked and impress so a mask is worn.. which only exhausts us in the end.. it’s a mysterious poem and I like it! ALSO wowa you are an artist too? Your illustration at the start of the post is brilliant (and slightly unnerving, but I mean that in the best way!).
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Always lovely and positive! I need to put on sunglasses every time you visit, Christy B Sunshine 😀 Thanks so much — I do enjoy unnerving people! x
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Thank you Rose for updating the post and including some of my words… I enjoyed reading the other commenters’ perspectives too. I hope your week is going well ❤
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Excellent haikus – perfect illustration
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Thank you so much Derrick, you silver fox!
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The haiku all fit together–a monster trapped in his (or her) on pain. It’s sad and scary.
Wonderful illustration, Rose.
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Remind you of our pain from a certain orange monster we abhor? Ugh. Thanks mmmarvelous Merril!
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I don’t feel as sorry for him though. 🙂
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You’re right. I feel sorry for the world, though; except for Put Put.
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*own not on. 🙂
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Such a poignant piece… great illustration, Rose. 🙂
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Ah, my Sunday is now complete! Many thanks for the kind words, Iris. 🙂
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Best not to take off that mask…keep the squiggling, squirming, screeching monster hidden behind a sweet plastic smile, letting it out through one’s fingers to play on paper and canvas only, no sharp instruments within its reach. Safer for everyone that way. 😁
Lovely haikus, Rose.
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Such titillating words, Cathy. I love them so and have shown off your mastery within this post. What a macabre treasure you are! 🙂
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I’ve never been called a “macabre treasure” before…I like it! 😁
Thanks, Rose.
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😀
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Reblogged this on Ancien Hippie.
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Thank you!
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Lovely haiku, Rose. Don’t we all wear masks sometime or the other. If we wear those too often, we suffocate. Yet the way you have presented it makes it awesome, Mask fusing to the skin and trapping the pain within is too good an expression.
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I love that you read my words so carefully, sweet Somali! I’m always smiling after you visit. ❤
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Keep on the sweet smile 😊⚘🌷
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So dark, yet beautiful, full of pain and regret. Great piece Rose!
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Thanks so much, Phoenix!
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Love it!!
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Take off my mask,
you ask?
First, take this flask.
Drink up quick
For you I will nick
With this sharp pick
For your ridiculous ask
For me to unmask!
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So cute in a morbid way, but you know that’s what I like! Ha!! Loved it. Hey, I need to email you. The upcoming Fridays are gonna be busy at SMM with sponsored events. I’ve an idea I’ll run by you after okaying it with Fly. I’ll send you an email in a couple of hours. No rush in answering. Thanks K💋
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Sounds intriguing. Looking forward to learn more about it.
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We seldom show our true skin. We all wear masks. And, sometimes the mask becomes more familiar than the skin…so much so, that even the pain gets trapped in it… 🙂 Wonderful set of haiku… pithy, profound…
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Beautifully worded as always, Mani! Many thanks, lovely friend. I’ve posted your poetic words regarding the mask above. 😀
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Multiple layered/coated poem you have in their Rose…its very intense….that is the first coat .the rest? I shall come back lol..
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Haha! Yeah, the coats take time to dry. Thanks Mich. 😀
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An homage to Jason from Friday the 13th. How creative! Not something I would have thought of, but I enjoyed your version. 🙂
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Thank you Cathleen. I appreciate your visits very much. 🙂
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Sometimes difficult to see where the mask ends and the skin begins. Powerful words
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Missed this one. It is so frightening to be trapped – both physically and mentally. The worst nightmare.
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Sometimes we make our own traps. What is it about chains? —- Perhaps the tinkling they make and silver is a lovely color 😊 Thank you, Inese, for taking the time to visit. I look forward to your wise words. xo
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Rose, now I am thinking about torturing devices! Oh well 😀
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Try making sense of American politics —- absolutely torturous! 😕
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Hahaha, you got me there 🙂 But I still love your country and your people, and I don’t panic – everything will work out in the end. Trump is only a human with a certain life span. There are real dangers in the world and their name is ideology.
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Yes, I love America, too. I’m an American citizen who was born in the Philippines. I feel very fortunate to be here. Our midterm elections placed 100 women in our House of Representatives. America is already great. We just need strong, decent, and intelligent leadership in the White House. Yes, I agree with you 100%, Inese!
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I hope all the ladies are competent and up to the task. It is what your country needs most – competence and professionalism. It is expected from the gentlemen too 😉
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Amen! I’m not certain all women elected are up to the task, but if we can have a neophyte with a narrow mind as president, then hopefully the neophytes elected in the House will be ones with open minds and aptitude. We can only hope. 🙂
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I know. We should hope 🙂
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