I.

My adversary, he hides

behind the clear veneer...

 

(behind a curtain made of glass

of witty smiles

disbelief

a laugh

targeting it all

But what of his life?

his past?

his soul?

No.

Behind a mask which all can see

...in whom can he confide?

Taking opposition with a slipping smile

The greatest adversary

of himself)

 

I believe he believes in nothing

because he fears the truth

                              that he is

                                       empty

 

II.

My girl, she hides

behind a curtain made of lace

gently blowing from her window high

 

(by the breezes of her youth

passing her by)

 

When will her father learn

the comfort of lace

even

obscures

the light

of life?

 

III.

My love, he hides

 

(behind a curtain stitched by society

who defined to him

modesty:

to cover up more than his body

 

His soul

 

always prone to conform

thus prone to distortion

If what is right

means to

obscure

that which you believe to be right

then what are you

 

a hypocrite

 

in your hidden beliefs

Hiding yourself)

 

behind a mask less beautiful

than

           what lies

                  underneath it

 

IV.

My friend, he hides

 

(behind a curtain made of chains, self-strung

Chains that didn’t used to be

but now through which you cannot see

The layers throughout the years

obscure...

He’s

missing

 

a part of himself

 

He can remember...

 

but cannot find

 

...and he does not know why)

 

and he does not know why

He just...

does

 

And the not knowing, it sits

heavy in his chest

and he can feel the weight

 

But not identify it

 

And when he digs within himself

to try to find

 

it

 

he is lost

because he no longer knows

 

himself...

 

One so good at smoke and mirrors

that one day he might actually disappear

and the others would feel the loss

but would not know

what

they had lost

 

(Maybe he wouldn’t

either...)

 

if only...

to be a child...

 

V.

And I...

 

VI.

(...come and go between

because these pieces make me whole

No curtains

just the tint

of my

stained glass

Soul)