In our hallowed writing space, we gather,
Weaving our words upon a distant page
Words of import - or just senseless blather,
And lauding others' works, while we engage.
~
Whether we bleed truth or affectations
In words we share with others of our ilk,
Readers wait with lofty expectations
To sample all our wares, like mother's milk.
~
But, the writer's mask may be misleading,
Concealing grief, or loss, disdain or pain,
The ugly truths of life that leave us bleeding,
And thieves that gather words for their own gain.
~
Creators gathered here don't have to ask.
Each of us comes with his or her own mask.
***
Author's note: It occurred to me that we hide certain things when we sit down to create for Vocal. For most of us, it may be the daily struggles we face but don't share. Then there are those that, like it or not, are here to steal from others, while masquerading as creators. And of course, there are those that occasionally post a piece that reveals elements of their psyche we don't want to see.
Last, but certainly not least important, my disclaimer: These are my opinions, based on my own experiences here on Vocal.
About the Creator
Dana Crandell
Dad, Stepdad, Grandpa, Husband, lover of Nature and dogs.
Poet, Writer, Editor, Photographer, Artist and Tech/Internet nerd.
My first published poetry collection: Life, Love & Ludicrosity
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insight
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
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Comments (20)
Oooo! This feels very on the nose for the challenge! Clever, Dana!! Belated congrats on placing fifth in last weeks leaderboard!!
Returning to congratulate you on making the leadership board this week, Dana!π
Wooohooooo congratulations on your Leaderboard placement! ππππππ
Great work, truth! Congratulations!!
All truth, and beautifully said.
Dana, I agree with Rick; this poem made a huge impression on me. I read it three times, thinking about personal masks and the things that prompt me to write. Excellent job!π
Outstanding Dana! You are right - each of us wears a mask as we write. As creators we are performers of the written word. We speak our truths in hopes that someone else will benefit or capture the essence of our message. My own personal life right now is very tough - most people would have already given up. Many times Iβve considered throwing in the towel. I am exhausted and emotionally drained. But, I continue forward despite how challenging this is for me. But, when I sit down to write - these days - I get to become a healthy vivacious 93 year old lady (of all things) and I get to be outspoken, self/confident, sarcastic, funny, intelligent, and the leader of my own destiny. Once I finish writing the story and I publish it - I get to keep on wearing that fun-loving mask for a few more days as people read and comment on my storyβ¦ but then itβs back to the harsh reality of my real life - working 24/7 for my dear sweet Isabel. Your poem made a big impression on me Dana. This is one of the best things Iβve read all week!
Very mischievous! π
If you don't mind me asking, may I have an example of " a piece that reveals elements of their psyche we don't want to see"? And I hope I'm not one of them π π Loved your poem!
The key is to be always unhinged right? Seems to work for me
Likely, I wrote more unguarded when I was a baby Vocalite. I knew no one and now may sometimes pull my phone niches. Something like: β would you still love me if I took off my mask(s)?β
I think that this is true for the writing world overall, not just Vocal. Some of us enter the writing world to escape our emotions, others enter it to process and share our emotions (perhaps a little too much), and still others enter to steal other people's work and pass it off as their own--though we hope that in the overall writing world they face more severe consequences than they do here. Anyway, very well written. Good luck on the Challenge!
Very astute! Excellent work Dana!
Thoughtful, and so true - such an interesting thing that we can share so much in this space while also remaining so in the dark about the inner workings of each other's lives. I think sometimes of how wonderful it might be to actually meet up with some friends and fellow writers on Vocal in person, just to perceive the reality of each other's lives a bit!
You say what I have felt and thought for a while now . You just manage to say it a whole lot better than I could have
You have captured it perfectly, Dana! Well done!
Good Grief d-bud: "Like Mothers Milk!" -j-
absolutely spot on...but I love when we get a peek behind, building friendships here
And I am wearing mine now, excellent words
I like the idea you've had. We all wear masks, some more and some less subtle, sometimes even when we look into a mirror.