Gold gilt masks preside over the artists' entrance to L'Opera at Versailles, France.
Dress her up in a gossamer confection
cunningly designed to conceal her flaws
and expose certain angles.
Blinded by her beauty,
prospective suitors line up,
waiting to take this dazzling creature
for a spin on the dance floor.
Her dance card is full,
her audience spellbound -
until the tissue-like concoction wears thin,
the fabric is torn away
and the elaborate mask falls,
exposing the truth
no amount of spin can hide.
This poem was inspired by the practice of "spinning the story" to the media - a bad habit heartily endorsed by certain governments. Sadly, all too often, the press doesn't bother to question these stories. To see more masks torn away, visit Sunday Scribblings.
Yes! My own warcry to the media. Just give me the truth please, I'll take the sugar coating with my dessert.
Posted by: Tag | 24 May 2007 at 19:45
As always, you make me think, Tara. It's so difficult to get past the media mask and try to see the reality of things. And of course, a lot of people don't really want to do so.
Great post!
Posted by: Mardougrrl | 23 May 2007 at 03:03
I would love to see all the media spin done away with. I think we could handle the truth; and maybe we would actually comprehend how desperate the situation is becoming and understand the urgent need to work together to do something to make it better.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if we had our own "Dorothy" who could throw a bucket of water on the "she" in your poem and "she," like Oz's Wicked Witch of the West, would melt away??
Posted by: sundaycynce | 22 May 2007 at 21:26
Tara this poem will live on. A legacy to the snowball affect of stymied truth. Eventually " the tissue-like concoction wears thin," all is exposed. It will be interesting to see how that plays out in the coming years! Marvelous poetry and photo!
Hugs Sherrie
Posted by: giggles | 21 May 2007 at 06:54
So true, so true. This was a beautiful way to express something that is a growing problem in our world.
Posted by: Anita | 21 May 2007 at 03:32
Tara,
Your name is the same as a friend of mine. Everytime I visit or see your name it makes me smile. You have been busy today. Everywhere I go I see your well thought out comments. You are a true inspiration and a wonderful blogger that really cares about what others have to say. I just felt that compliment was in order before I began.
I loved the lines "designed to conceal her flaws and expose certain angles" along with all the rest of course. This is such a truth that everyone I have read seems to hit on today. No one spoke of masks as just a noun that people wear and remove for a party or halloween, well no one that I read. Everyone thought of the same thing. It's interesting that although on most prompts people end up with totally different posts, today they are all a little bit similar. This is a topic that hits home with us all. Your writing talent is one I will look up to for years to come.
Posted by: clockworkchris | 21 May 2007 at 01:27
First, I loved the poetic take. Second, to see that it was inspired by the "sping of media"....WOW! What a creative way of revealing the mask. Loved it, Tara!
And thanks for your message to me too. :-)
Posted by: Lisa | 21 May 2007 at 00:38
I wish someone really would unmask the corruption going on in government today. Sadly, the media doesn't seem to be having much luck.
Great post/poem!
Posted by: Becca | 20 May 2007 at 23:27
True.
Perfect.
(I don't believe the media are that stupid. I think they're lazy. It doesn't take much to regurgitate what is handed to you; but listening, questioning, thinking -- that's work!)
Posted by: Colette | 20 May 2007 at 22:04
Thought provoking combination of photo and words.
Posted by: Crafty Green Poet | 20 May 2007 at 17:32
I'm so happy to have a moment to get here - you make me feel so much less alone in the world with my strong convictions and desire to find a way to have beauty in my life as well as bravery and truth.
Thanks for everything and for this poem.
x
Posted by: Frida | 20 May 2007 at 16:49
I love the words and the photo. That your inspiration for this was "spinning the story" is just brilliant.
Posted by: Patois | 20 May 2007 at 16:09
This is what is hard about SS and PT- that sometimes all you want to do is smile genuinely and maybe utter "lovely" quietly.
Posted by: ren.kat | 20 May 2007 at 12:59
Fabulous my friend.
Everything you share is so very lovely indeed!
Blessings!
Posted by: Jeanne | 20 May 2007 at 10:35
'the fabric is torn away
and the elaborate mask falls,
exposing the truth
no amount of spin can hide.'
truly breathtakingly beautiful...... lost for words
Posted by: paul | 20 May 2007 at 09:06
A lot left to imagine but very well put.
its good to be left thinking.
Posted by: Inconsequential | 20 May 2007 at 09:03
Isn't it amazing how a simple word like spin just pulls it all together.
Nicely written.
Thanks for sharing,
Frances
Posted by: Frances | 20 May 2007 at 07:27
Beautiful photo and words. I kept hearing "Masquerade" from Phantom of the Opera in my head! :-)
Posted by: JHS | 20 May 2007 at 06:32
My son and I were discussing this subject today, so your post was, for me, very timely. I love the photograph you chose, also.
I hope that you're having a good weekend!
Andrea
Posted by: Southern Heart | 20 May 2007 at 06:20
So true.
Posted by: Skyelark | 20 May 2007 at 04:55
Tara, the photograph is amazing. This poms is a good "spin off" as you call it!!
Posted by: gautami | 20 May 2007 at 03:54
YOu are hot! I love the word tripping.....and the connection to the slippery slope of political hacks.
Posted by: awareness | 20 May 2007 at 03:40
WOW! YOU are good! That was amazing. An Angelic Expose'!
Posted by: pam aries | 20 May 2007 at 03:38
encore!! It drives me nuts too. It use to be that this type of behaviour was shunned, not glorified as 'cool'
Posted by: Jennifer | 20 May 2007 at 01:56
This was a political statement, for it made me think of the silly places we end of seeing so much media-focus...Like stupid Paris Hilton and the lot. I wish we could take off the mask they all give the world, so our young girls could see the truth of these cotton-brains. What is glamour about being stupid and slutty? Why is it the (very made-up) mask they show the world gets so much freakin' attention?? It drives me NUTS.
:)
Posted by: Amber | 19 May 2007 at 20:57
This was a perfect pairing of prose and photography. Wonderful - and true. Media spin makes my head spin.
xo
Posted by: holli | 19 May 2007 at 20:06
Very cutting Tara -- and right on target. Really great piece!
Ain't it the truth, ain't it he truth!! There are so damned many dangerous agendas out there "spinning" to create the vortex to suck you in -- it's nauseating.
In my mind, the most dangerous one I know of is the Project for the New American Century -- and it's as dangerous as anything written in the past 100 years.
Really sorry about the soapbox Tara. Your post just put me in mind of this.
Again, this was an engaging and stimulating piece!
Posted by: Rob Kistner | 19 May 2007 at 19:58
That is a wonderful twist to the theme - a spinning dance, a masked ball, are great metaphors for the spin doctors of the media. Well done.
Posted by: chiefbiscuit | 19 May 2007 at 15:47
Wonderful poem ... I love the metaphor and imagery! Spin doctors are bad medicine. JP
Posted by: JanePoe (aka Deborah) | 19 May 2007 at 15:21
Tara,
FWIW, I like the new look! I particularly like the letter drop....very creative. ;-)
The poem is one of your best (that I've read). I'm spellbound by it's smooth flow, evokative image, and, of course, the message.
rel
Posted by: rel | 19 May 2007 at 15:04
Like Rose said, Tara dear- your photography is always striking- as are your posts. I think the gilt has totally worn off some certain gov't's, but they keep trying, don't they? It's very ugly what's underneath...
Thanks for stopping by to visit me, too!
Posted by: Regina Clare Jane | 19 May 2007 at 14:56
Hi Tara, beautiful picture, you are a great photographer. I like your poem about the masks and the media. Politics doesn't like to be exposed.
Rose
xo
Posted by: Rose Dewy Knickers | 19 May 2007 at 14:50