Life's Masquerade

By: Linda Oostendorp

Masks all around.
The rhythm of the music beating through your body.
The room full of merriment seemed to swirl ,
Getting lost in the crowd to never be found.

You look around and scream in fear
The merriment you thought you saw was a mere illusion,
to the real horrors called Life.
You try not to cry but behind your mask visible to all was a tear.

You run to people begging them to take off their masks,
For the masks were masks of death.
They don't hear you of course and you weep at the edge of the floor.
You realize that you are not up to dance in the masque.

But as the music goes and the night wears on,
You suddenly realize you've begun to dance again.
A young man who also had tears behind his mask,
Realizing that all hope was gone.

You get caught into the beat and realize with a trembling fear,
That your fate was now the same as the other dancers.
You start to loose your mind as the night goes on,
The thought that you were soon to be gone was hard to bear.

You scream aloud in the midst of the other cries,
"Save me! I do not want this!"
And someone whispers in your ear as they gently take off your mask
"Come out from behind your mask. I know your guise."

The music which had suddenly gone to the funeral march,
Returned to merriment and the face you see was the man you danced with before. 
He smiles softly "No need to hide like other people. You are the best."
You blush and reply in earnest "You saved me from the Death March."

He laughs and replies "No, my dear girl, I saved you from Life."