Thursday Doors Writing Challenge – Masquerade #ThursdayDoors #poetry

Uncategorized 2 Minutes

Dan is hosting a Thursday Doors Writing Challenge. You can find the pictures to inspire your creative writing here: https://nofacilities.com/thursday-doors-writing-challenge-2024/

I selected the picture below, created by the talented Teagan Riordain Geneviene, for my poem entitled Masquerade. You can find Teagan’s latest post here: https://teagansbooks.com/2024/05/09/whos-at-the-thursdaydoors-6-podcasting/

Picture caption: Two women dressed in red and gold ball gowns and wearing masks with lavishly decorated hats

Masquerade, Phantom of Elections Past

Masquerade, peek behind the door

Masquerade, aging faces gathered round a boardroom table

Masquerade, each man trying to make his mark

Masquerade, there is deceit and self-interest on every mind

***

Lots of talk, translates to little action

Money talks, so profit margins always triumph

“Preserving the planet an important consideration”

“Does it make money?” the counter argument

***

Behind the door, the debate continues

Cost of implementation at the forefront of any change

The question is, how to evade the protesters

How to convince them, it was given due consideration

***

Faces expressionless, decision made

Global warming relegated to the backburner

Adverse weather a niggle – an irritation

Earth’s salvation, not worth the price

Of stepping on well-shod corporate toes

***

Masquerade, silken lies trip off tongues

Masquerade, empty promises that will never be fulfilled

Masquerade, plastic grins fixed in place

Masquerade, ensure you are evasive, elusive, and convincing

***

Masquerade, the majority easily won over

Masquerade, flashy cars displace thoughts of food security

Masquerade, beautiful people overwhelm righteousness

Masquerade, distraction techniques easily fool the masses

***
Exercise in voter appeasement complete

Slippery snakes slither behind the door

Another rally, another issue shelved

At this rate, transformation will never come

***

Politicians raise their glasses, clink!

Toasts drunk to further bloat egos

Ordinary people easily manipulated

Oblivious to glib evasions and half truths

***

“We’re all old so it really doesn’t matter

We won’t be here to reap our just deserts”

No consideration, no compassion

They live for today, tomorrow’s baton will be passed on

***

Their successors will be held accountable for past mistakes

Until elections swing around again

Oh, what a sad and desperate masquerade.

You may have recognised this piece as a parody of Masquerade from Phantom of the Opera💚. The original is marvellous so please enjoy.

Unknown's avatar

Published by robertawrites235681907

I am a writer of young adult fiction and poetry

Published

97 thoughts on “Thursday Doors Writing Challenge – Masquerade #ThursdayDoors #poetry”

      1. People don’t pay attention, or they don’t vote at all. Almost no one here votes in local primaries, where there are always actually some good choices. And then, the money from those who already have too much also has an outsize influence. I don’t know how we can combat that.

        Like

        Reply

  9. A Masquerade it is indeed…

    Pulcinella is held quiet in court…

    At least a judge is brave…

    (I always fear our children will pay the price…)

    There should be a shaking head emoji.

    😉

    Like

    Reply

  17. A hard-hitting poem that cuts right to our lamentable situation, Robbie. Your poem reflects my feelings about (most of) the rich and powerful who rule the world. It’s a sad state of affairs. And what bothers me most of all, is that we often elect these people against our own self interest and the interests of future generations. Ugh. 

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

    1. HI Diana, it seems to me that we often have limited choice. The US only seems to have two potential candidates for the upcoming election so its A or B or not voting at all which is worse. It requires too much money behind you now to run for president and that has caused a catastrophe.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  21. LOVE that you posted this poem to the dVerse OLN….however, if you’ll look at the prompt as I posted it, it tells folks they must also include a link back to dVerse. Sometimes people just forget, so am hoping that’s what’s happened here. Can you please add a link or tag to dVerse (https://dversepoets.com) at the bottom of your post or somewhere with it (as you have at the top to the Thursday Door Challenge)? You have a good following with lots of comments here….and I do hope you’ll have even more readers through dVerse. Please do add the link. Hoping to see many more of your poems here….and I will check back later this evening to insure you’ve added a link to dVerse. If not, as I mention on the dVerse OLN page, I will sadly have to remove your post from Mr. Linky…and I really don’t want to do that!

    Like

    Reply

  22. This is fabulous, Robbie. I love it.

    I agree with all you say.

    You picked into Teagan’s image beautifully.

    I never saw “Phantom”, so I can’t draw the parallel, however this is brilliant.

    I’m doing one too! I never did a challenges before, and this is a perfect time.

    Best to you and Micheal! (and all you love)

    Like

    Reply

    1. Hi Resa, I am delighted you enjoyed this. I had great fun writing it. If you ever get the chance, go and see Phantom, it is amazing. My favourite musical by far. I have written three poems for two of your images for next week. I look forward to reading your contribution.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

      1. Your poem is everything I expect you would do in your ….exposing of the chaos and its causes.
        OMG! How exciting that you wrote to my pics!!!!! Yayay!!!
        Mine is getting done…slowly.
        It’s been fun. Now, to go read another entry!

        Like

        Reply

  24. I don’t know “Phantom of the Opera,” but I know the news, and I liked this a lot even though it is depressing as all-get-out. “Those well-shod corporate toes” and the slithering behind the doors gave a sadly accurate picture, I fear. Grim, but on the mark, in my opinion. Congratulations on brave writing!

    Like

    Reply

  26. Wonderful to hear you read this at Dverse LIVE today! And obviously appreciated by all of us! I do wish you’d put a tag or connection back to dVerse though, since you posted it to OLN.

    Like

    Reply

    1. HI Lilian, thank you for your comment. I’m glad you enjoyed this post. I link the poems I write for d’Verse challenges back to d’Verse. This one was written for something else which is why I hadn’t. Have a lovely afternoon.

      Like

      Reply

  27. It was great to hear you read this poem this afternoon Robbie – sadly I am forced to acknowledge the overwhelming truth of it…

    Like

    Reply

  28. Thank you! Thank you! For gifting us this truly amazing poem, for the art, for the music. Listening as you read it this morning kept me spellbound.

    Like

    Reply

  29. The repetition in your poem is very effective, Robbie, making your reader think about the poem as a whole.  ‘Lots of talk, translates to little action’ is so true, as is the ‘deceit and self-interest on every mind’. These lines are worrying: ‘Earth’s salvation, not worth the price / Of stepping on well-shod corporate toes’. Thank you for the clip from Phantom.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Hi Kim, I appreciate your visit and lovely comment. Sadly, until the cost of not making changes exceeds the cost of leaving things as they are, I don’t expect much to change. I live in hope though and do what I can to make a small ripple of a difference.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  30. Robbie you’ve nailed it with you parody. They will never give up their power without force. Beautiful costuming in the video and that’s a beautiful set of music. “Music of the Night” is my favorite on it.

    Like

    Reply

  31. Well done, Robbie! I think politicians are the ultimate masqueraders, hiding behind their masks.

    I don’t think I ever saw the movie version of Phantom, only the stage version. I didn’t remember the song.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

          1. Thinking about some of the stuff you like, you might like it. It’s a rather, dark twisted Sondheim musical.🙂 Both my kids had double majors with theater, and older one was a bit obsessed with Sondheim. I’ve seen two great stage versions, as well as the movie.

            Like

Leave a comment