Oh sweet darkness that hides all reflections of our imperfections
Obscured mirror that holds our blackest fear of seeing reality of all we be
That another should discover that under thick cover we lie naked and ugly
Hide our lust under a thin crust and thrust its wrinkled image
On others once brothers now enemies that hate
Righteous loathing in sheep's clothing, become deceptive visions of the pearly gate
Desire for murder most foul, drools from our voracious jowl as criminals we berate
Our bald headed envy and fat bellied greed are thought another man's creed
Yet from our wounds we bleed a more fetid seed
And over the disgrace of a ghoul face we place the mask of a fool
-
Author:
sorenbarrett (
Offline) - Published: June 19th, 2025 03:30
- Category: Unclassified
- Views: 58
- Users favorite of this poem: Teddy.15, Jerry Reynolds, Cheeky Missy, Tristan Robert Lange, RSM0812, MendedFences27, Damaso
Offline)
Comments12
The great awakening. My goodnesses you truly are on a par of your own dear poet. 🌹 Magnificent
Thank you my dear friend for the read of this rambling of thoughts and your always kind words of encouragement. They are always most appreciated.
This is packed full of imagery and metaphors.I read it twice to really appreciate it. I enjoyed the middle rhyming.That is amazing. There is a sombre feel about this piece.After all it is about death and graves.VEry powerful
Thank you David for the read and comment. I deeply appreciate you taking the time to read it twice and indeed its meaning is metaphoric.
"once brothers now enemies..." : the stabs from "near and dear" ones are the hardest to bear. From where we expected suppport come low blows.
"Righteous loathing in sheep's clothing..." : "The quote "O, what a goodly outside falsehood hath!" is from William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice...."
Your review Soman is deeply appreciated and regarded. Thank you so much
I interpreted this as relevant to the current issues going on in the world, where nations friendships and tolerance of each other is collapsing, and the death and destruction which will follow, interesting and intriguing write, enjoyed
Thank you Tobani for your read and interpretation. It certainly fits at that level. Thank you for your comment my friend
You are very welcome
Wow! That is, by far, the best thing I have read in a long time.
Thank you Jerry that encouraging support coming from you means a great deal.
This poem, my friend, is as prophetic as anything I have read in the Bible or elsewhere. Why? Because, contrary to popular belief, prophecy calls out wrong doing and warns of its consequences, rather than merely predicting the future. The prophetic voice speaks from a transcendent place, a "God's eye view", and calls the bullshit bullshit. The "predictions" are common sense...if you keep doing this, you will end up reaping that. This poem does this in all the right ways. A fave for me, for sure. LOVE THIS and will be back to read it again! 🌹👏 Oh, and I an not sure if you intended this or not—my guess, being an avid reader of yours is that it was intentional—but "White Sepulchres" references, for me, Jesus' woes to the religious leaders and scribes in Matthew 23:27-28: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (NRSV). Like I said, your poem is prophetic in all the right ways. Bravo, my dear friend and poet. This one packs a punch of Biblical proportions. 🌹👏
Thank you Tristan astute of you to pick this up. No longer religious in a traditional sense in the past I have read the Bible cover to cover several times and yes this was title was a stolen metaphor for Christ's reference just reworded. I guess most of our metaphors we have stolen from one place or another, there is little original in this world only things that seem original since we have not heard it before. Your interpretation is spot on and most appreciated
Indeed, we can see religion for what it is...the good and the not so good and the evil...acknowledge all aspects of it for what it is and still keep our faith in something greater than ourselves. And, while we are speaking Bible, Solomon (or whoever else actually wrote Ecclesiastes) concurs: there is nothing new under the sun. Not sure how ultimately true that is, but it seems true enough most of the time. You are most welcome, Soren.
This is for sure a personal favorite. Absolutely remarkable.
Thank you RSM your words are most encouraging and appreciated
What can be done? The last line. KP had no improvements with botox, even with the mask on. I said to her: 'The mask IS on you, dear; we can't tell the difference if you have it on or off'. lol.
Thanks Orchi it is appreciated.
Well worded. The face of humanity is a scary look. At best we a just a bit above the animals, if not equal to. Your "mirror" is just Man's vanity. Loved the internal rhyming. And, at the end we continue onward. A brilliant poem. - Phil A.
Thank you so much Phil for the review and most generous words of support and kind encouragement it is most appreciated
Fine piece of writing..
Thank you John
Shows our world as it is at the moment soren, one day we may have peace, harmony and love i it.
Andy
Thank you so much Andy for the read and comment your words are most appreciated and yes hopefully some day there will be peace and love.
Haunting and raw—your words peel back the lies we wear like skin. The imagery chills, especially 'mask of a fool' over a 'ghoul face.' Truth scarier than any ghost.
Thank you Mottakeenur your words are most highly regarded and cherished.
To be able to comment and rate this poem, you must be registered. Register here or if you are already registered, login here.