Masquerade Poem by Michelle Tiddy

Confusion, desperation
What could this be
Is everyone lying to me?
Turn one way, then another
The horses on the merry-go-round
Seem to be snickering
They know more than they tell
Their painted faces mocking

Cotton-candy, toffee apples
Treats, or bribes?
The cacophony of organ music
Adding to the bewilderment
Jugglers, men on stilts
But I can't see their eyes,
they won't let me

Is life just a fairground ride?
Do I need to shoot arrows
To find the prize, or do I need
To put a penny in the slot
Of The Fortune Teller
Who will laugh before she tells me

Spinning, spinning, sighing
Drunk on the parody
Of Pantomime, deception, words and love
Wondering who I can trust
To show me the way out
Of this Circus, the way home

I am in that bubble, you know
Dancing at the masquerade ball
Looking for something, someone
I can't see, but is it really them I need?
I need strength to burst
Right out of that shiny prison

So, the clock hits midnight
It all ends and the music stops
The bubble pops and I am clearer
Or am I, not sure
But friends and love reach out
Take my hand, protect my heart
Help me, to be just me.