MARVELOUS SHARING, REGIS...SO REAL!!! FOR I DON'T CARE WHO WE ARE...EVERYONE, AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER...SHED TEARS. IT MAY BE PRIVATE, IT MAY BE OPENLY AND THIS IS ONE'S CHOICE, BUT WE ALL CRY. I REMINDED THAT MY SON RECENTLY SHARED WITH ME THAT THERE ARE TIMES WHEN HE AWAKENS AND THERE ARE TEARS...HE WAS CRYING IN HIS SLEEP AND DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IT. THANK GOD FOR THE 'RELIEF' OF TEARS...HOWEVER THEY MAY COME. THIS POWERHOUSE OF A MESSAGE IS A KEEPER, REGIS, THANK YOU!!! LOVE, BLESSINGS AND FAITH...HIS+INSPIRATIONS

Yes! I am able to relate to, "Just say it is the allergies". I have done that! Trying to keep that face paint on is difficult with those allergies!!!

Love ya!

Jane

Wow! And here I thought I had read all of your poetry. Guess I missed this one. Or maybe this was posted before I even knew you :)

Anyway, this is a great poem. I think we've all been through this at one point or another. We put on a fake smile even though we were sad or hurting inside... put on a brave face for someone when inside we were scared... etc. And we felt like a clown or a fool...

This poem is more than just about smiles and sorrow. It is very deep and says a great deal more. Thank you for sharing this poem.

I'm so tired of doing this; I sometimes feel like a clown -- tired of the mask. ~Hugs, Elizabeth

Regis,
You have just described to a perfection what I have to do to stay sane in my new school. I despise my new principal, but I have to put on a smile so I can teach my students. Thank you mon cher ami .

You have won the noble prize of making me laugh and feel special today. I think it is an honest and direct piece. We have those moments when we put up an act for the sake of something or someone but a smile truely says and does much. Thank you Reg.

This one reminds me during hard times...keeping my mask on...not for me...for everyone else, because (No one likes a sad soul)I would only cry on lonely walks in the rain...

take care,

William

Your poem is so beautiful. I think it should be lyrics to a song. I think your poetry would go nicely with some guitar music or possibly a saxophone in the background. Your poetry reminds me of the days that I try to hide my feelings. Using the excuse about allergies is a very good excuse. That will explain the swollen and blood shot eyes. Your words really strike a chord in my heart. The photo is an excellent choice! I am tracking your work, and I look forward to seeing more!

a smile is one's armor against despair. you write so
eloquently and we are lucky to have you here!

keep up the wonderful work

Just say it is the allergies
Blame it on the flowers,
Very cute Regis, sometimes that does work, take care Valerie

Yes, but it's very hard to fool your self.

Tony

This is cute, and encouraging. Thanks Regis.
Love to you~~~~Denise

Mourning in silent surrender...
These tears bring truthful release...
Pent up emotions watching heart breaks...
Like glass shattering into my soul’s peace...

I am a cry baby....I am so sensitive I just don't hide tears very well at all, as you know....
Much Love & Happiness
Love & Hugs
Embraced ~ Embrassé
Vickie

Excellent picture that blends well with an excellent poem. Another brilliant write.

I always try to keep smiling no matter whats bothering me. Great poem. -Te'Erra

Great poem Regis!!
Love and Smiles, Suzie :-D

It is increasingly difficult to show real emotion in our world. I read it somewhere that people go to laughing classes - even recommended by doctors - because laughing has become socially unacceptable in western cultures. The same can be said about crying. How I hate masks! They remind me of death masks, not recommended for the living. :-)

Axilea

YIKkkes, we need to put heart into it!
Smile awhile it can drown sorrows!
Masquerade parties have clowns running amok, letting their hearts hide behind feelings of such...
Write On!
Warmest Blessings and Inner Peace, Warrior Purple PaSSion Lady Shexooo

STay Positive!

A smile goes a long way , but sometimes its hard to do....M

Sad, but beautiful and very true!!!!!!!!!!! Liana Margiva

Thank you Regis for putting a smile on my face. There are only two places where tears can hide: behind dark sunglasses and a shower. Every where else is off limits. So you better smile in all other places, lest the world sees you as an everyday grinch. ~ Sara

Yes this is what the world would like us all to do, be little shallow clowns hiding behind fake smiles. What a powerful poem Regis.

This is how I am today, Regis. You got me. You had a great way of describing it too...Jerry

I can definitely relate to this one. As I read this, I thought about being at a masquerade party, hiding behind a mask not wanting to release our inner heart and soul to another. Lovely piece.

Love
Karen

My friend used to always tell me to "Fake it, 'til you make it!" The longer I live life, the more I believe that most of us are trying to do just that...

Cryssa

Can so relate, Regis. I live my life with my feet to the sky and my hands doing the walking, somehow. It is what I have learned since a very young child, and also what I have gathered to myself through experience... but my oh my... your new Biog pic is a beauty! THAT should be reason enough to smile any day! You have no excuse not to with features like that! Bless you for exposing the Pierrot in all of us. Thank you for your honesty. Koko The Kate xx

Wow, I could relate to this one Regis! I think you're the only one who comments on my poetry also LOL! It must freak normal people out haha.

You unmask us, unmercifully, revealing our shame. What a piercing view you have into the psyche of humanity, Regis. Have some compassion for the mere mortals.

-=ra=-

Regis,

I loved this, it made me smile and made my day.

Much love,
Mary :-)

I love this; you say so much in relatively few words (a genuine skill)! I love the light and airy feel to this write.

Ah Regis, this is such a truthful writing, I can remember many times in my life when I put a smile on my face when the pain inside hurt so bad I felt cursed in life. Your writings are sincere and inspiring and brings truth to life in almost all of them. I loved that picture it so represents this poem. This is an exceptional write Regis.

so true,,,, we all wear the mask through out our lives,,,but when one knows another even a mask cannot hide the tears inside.
Hope you are smiling inside and out,,,:) Christine

Beautiful and I keep smiling

I rather be a clown than a scrooge any day. Great write, Regis.

Yes its true Reg....a smile its worth a thousand words
Its always nice when you smile and that smile its returned
So every morning I put on my Clown smile
I love being a clown
Beautiful writing!!
Peace Love and Hugessss...Morning Star

So true Reg, too much of it is sham, but then would we want all those smiles to be frowns;-)Life is a duality for sure,that's why we have clownsl-)

Love,
ET

How true, how true.

I used to say, "It's time to put on my plastic smile and hide who I really was so that no one could get to me. So this clown smiled and smiled until my life caught up with me. Now when I smile, I mean it and my Irish eyes crinckle and shine with joy. That's why they say, When Irish Eyes are smiling, they steal your heart away. Keep smiling,Reg,it makes people wonder what you're up to.
Bobbi

This is wonderful. We all tend to wear a "mask" now and then for the outside world. But, in saying that, I sometimes feel better putting that smile on my face, even when I may not be feeling it inside. Excellent writing, Regis.

I do put on a smile and fake it with my children, when i am with them sometimes. I don't feel well and am still grieving over Tom since Aug 17 07 and they think I should always be happy and go on. I do for them, but for myself I don't care. But your reviews have helped tremendously and your philosophy on life is so encouraging to me.

I'm just the opposite, I have no mask. What you see is what you're going to get. Emotions and all.

But I agree with you. A lot of us are wearing masks.

Sandie Angel :o)

Ah, the clowns know how. Much good philosophy in this write. R

Smiles are followed up with joy!!!

So true, Regis! Holding in the sadness seems to cause it to come to a boil, too. It becomes more intense when it's not shared in some way. Great write! Love and Hugs~
Sheila

Reg, a really great write.

Peace,
Dan

Awww Reg, this is sad...reminds me of a blog I wrote a few years ago...hope things look up soon.

there is much underlying depth to this-i enjoyed it!

Wise words Regis. Enjoyed

Creative write as most of us wear several masks all day long. But happiness is catchy so maybe if we hide the sadness and stop wasting time being sad we can be happy about other things. :)

There's a saying Regis, Smile and the world smiles with you, weep and you weep alone, so we tend to hide behind those masks for fear of being neglected. A great write, thank you for sharing.

Newfie Hugs, Rose

When they are sad, "Send in the Clowns" because those heartly laughs will dry up the clown's own tears.

Georg

I enjoy this write very much Regis
It's for me to smile at times
Then At times I want to be a clown
Peace Be with you

William

Unfortunately that is what the outside world demands these days, the fake, the artificial, no time for reaching out, sharing or compassion, sad state of affairs, well said.

Be always safe,
Karen

it's true, regis, laugh and the world laughs with you, but the soul likes seriousness, too, and sadness has depth. I always remember the words of the Indian guro, Osho, commenting on superficial happy shiny people: always happy, always bubbling, living on the surface.
And sometimes when we feel in a laughing mood others are sad and vice versa. It's sunshine and shadow, you can't have one without the other.
I have noticed types of laughter - callous laughter, laughing at other people rather than with them. Sure, it's water off a duck's back.

Sad songs say so much. The tears of a clown. Pagliacci. Do you know the great Charlie Chaplin song, Smile? Smile, though your heart is breaking...... fantastic! Thanks, regis, for your smiling-through-the-tears poem.

Tears of a clown when no one is around...Smokey Robinson, I think. And you say it here so clearly and astutely. Awesome. Yes, I mustn't let my mask slip. Liz

Interesting write, Gives the reader something to ponder.

Take Care,

Pierre

So uplifting and with the right flavour. I like this very much.
John

Yep: Satan Devil Smiles(Clown) Me TRASK An (God) I Laugh Last..

Kool 1 Regis...

Loneliness Is Pain Of Being Alone
Solitude (Me) Is Glory Of Being Alone...

TRASK

TRASK

Another poem that so amny of us can identify with.
Welcome back, Regis.
Larry

Very well said Regis.

Very good description of how most of us live! Rather than burden those around us, we will say, "Everything's fine" even when it is not. Not sure how healthy that is....?
Always good wishes to you and yours,
Jim

So true... smile even when feeling sand and lonely; smiling has a catchy, therapeutic way of healing the soul and can myteriously drive away the sadness, lonliness and sorrow. Blessings, Janice

Smile, smile, that is the ticket Regis
stay safe
Ron

I for one am doing just as you suggest. My mask comes off deep into the night where no one but me sees reality! Aren't we all just a bunch of "happy" clowns anyway! Well Done, Deborah

How many masks do some of those people have? Thanks for sharing these well-written words.

Very uplifting, yes, sometimes we must learn to look beyond ourselves.

Life is a stage, and it's better to have smiled and smiled than to have frowned and frowned. Did you ever try to frown while you're smiling? It can't be done. Nice poem.

Sad commentary on our society. I have had much pain and disappointments in my life, yet I have also had many blessings. I have learned to keep growing in joy and gratefulness for those blessings, including you Regis and the friends we have met here on AD. The great thing about "true" friends is that we can express our sadness and pain to them and they can help us overcome, even if only for listening.

If you can smile through MS Vista you can smile through most of life's little bumps

We all wear those masks; I know for a fact that I am not usually a happy person, even though I put on a brave face. Have had too much pain in my life. It still hurts.

(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tx., Karen Lynn. :( >tears! <

Pain only added: lost our daddy May 28 of this year, just a few weeks ago. How I miss him!!

I think that we wear masks more than we are even aware of, but then again, few people really want to hear about our problems, so maybe it is best that way. Perhaps tears are best left for the times when we are alone and we have the opportunity to be a bit more introspective. At those times, we can use the release to break through another layer of the pain that we hold inside. I believe that it is important to step outside our self, sometimes, to figure out why we believe we need to carry sorrow through our life. Once we find our answers, we can begin our healing processes. Happiness, like love, are gifts that we give to our self; nobody else can give us or take from us, these things. Very nice poem, Regis.
Take care,
Sherry

This poem makes me smile.I want to say that normally I would get my haircuts and I would stand in front of the barbershop as patiently as I can be.Sometimes when people pass by me,they would always greet me and I would always greet them right back,but with a big smile on my face.I've made several bonds with people that I don't even know my entire life and yet they are always happy to see me because I let my positive energy,spirit and my smile wear off on them.Its nice that I can put smile's on people's faces.There is nothing in this world that makes me happy then to make other people happy.Your poem is a reflection of that.Thank you for sharing it

Edwin

One of your finest pieces...it says so much with so few words. Love, Michelle

I loved that you used a picture of Pierrot-I collect Pierrots, actually, have a huge picture of one on my bedroom wall. I can relate to him and this poem. Oscar Wilde did as well, incidentally. This has always been a part of my life, I think because I thought I must be the strong one when the world was falling apart around me, and sometimes, it gets hard, and we all want to throw off the mask and say, "I need to cry, too." You showed this here. The sad part is that crying is actually good for you as a release, so resisting it is silly. I also collect masks, oddly enough, and obviously I connect with them as well-and since being sick, it is a necessity to wear more masks than ever because as Karla said, no one wants to see the real sick me-but as Jean said, she is 100% right-sometimes when we try to be happy, we are, because attitude makes life so much easier. Thanks for this, very thought-provoking-blessings, Michelle

:)

Smile and the world smiles with you...

REG - good piece!

some people over-medicate, or over-inebriate - and ACT like clowns.
others over-cosmeticate - and LOOK like clowns.
some over-orate - and SOUND like clowns.
still others - just ARE!

what you see is what you get!

peace, Tom.

Well, Reg, that's what I do, but you know what, I am a happy person inside and another thing to think about is that smiling and kindness is contagious, so let's spread some joy and happiness and Just Keep Smiling! I loved this poem..
Peace, light, and Love,
Amber "V"

Good advice & try as I may, I will do so...enjoyed, Ed

Know this all too well, Regis, no one wants to see the real me - so I put on the happy face to cover the tears - well written -

(((HUGS))) and love, Karla.

The inner soul knows, Reg...hiding behind cover-ups is a way of life for some...there are those who smile for the sake of the camera, to capture what they think the public wants to see...every picture tells a story...a reminder of the 60s song by Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, "Tears of a Clown" - "there's nothing sadder than the tears of a clown" - hope you are biking around the mountain to reach your 200th time...or more...be well.

Love,
Sage

This is a very encouraging piece. I drew a clown in my art gallery, but it's with a tear falling from his eye. Cute clown picture.
God bless Reg. Don't worry about the vista thing, you'll get used to it. :o)

This poem has so much truth in it, Reg. So often I put on my happy face for the public when all I really want is to be alone with my sorrow. But I do find that sometimes feigning happiness does actually make me feel happier. I enjoyed this and found the last word... Clown, to be very powerful in the way you have used it.

I think at one time or another we all have or will wear one of those masks. At one time I chose to wear the mask of happiness when I was carrying a heavy burdon. I would as your write says, cry when I was alone and grieve while pouring my heart out to God...one morning when I least expected it, I awoke and my load was lightened and the smile was from the heart again. We all choose to handle our grief, disapointments and troubles in various ways, but when we have our precious savior we are never alone! Well done!
Blessings,
Joyce B.