Eyeless Masks
by Odin Roark

Who walks among us
noticing not the
spurious light flooding
eyelids ever open in vacuous obedience ?

A priori lies in wait,
even as eyes peering
from adopted ignorance
remain impervious to ever present clouds,
ignoring the inner teardrops
that rise to cleanse
truth’s inner path.

Struggling as dishonesty sometimes might,
the slits in its veiled façade
fail to hide betrayal’s hidden guilt,
even as cautious trickles of inquiry
sometimes beckon resistance to
deception’s allure.

Sadly…

Unblinking shutters stay open,
never sleeping,
never visiting slumber’s
purposeful resolve,
where one’s repository of wisdom
opts to dilate.

Prisoners gorge on this gluttonous pleasure
like vizard ghosts-incarnate,
continuing in modern pretense,
donning lifts,
nips,
botox,
and
implants.

Rejoicing over replaceable surface-wear
save eyes that refuse to look,
see,
and become aware,
for false identity flourishes,
challenged by few.

Beware…

These new-fashioned masks,
A stealth adornment for manipulation,
venturing invitation with smiles,
donning innocence with praise,
pandering but the ignorant,
luring the naive.

Remember…

Eyes open shut
never slumber,
immured and blind,
bungeed atop slippery slopes,
they dominate by day
and by night.

How seductive these…

Duplicitous layers
of color made friendly,
swirling caldrons of platitudes
deafening small ears of
lesser resistance,
creating minions of
somnolent followers,
creating neither peace
nor meaning of breath.

Look around…

Many forever eyeless masks
Await unwitting invite.