Kidscorner

Saturday 30 October 2010

The masquerade

 
There is a party at writers island. I used to be a party animal when I was young. I have never celebrated Halloween however. In Holland we had something simular though; Carnaval.On carnaval, Prince carnaval took over the city and young and old were dressed up. We danced, drinked and had fun for 3 days. What struck me was that suddenly lots of people showed another side. They were more open, passionate, funloving etc. which lasted till the end of carnaval. It should have lasted longer.



photo from here

The masquerade

This is the night
an anonymous girl
warps a shadow
matching the queen
of the masquerade
This is the night
of her metamorphoses
giving her wings of
 a butterfly, vibrating
coloured thoughts

This is the night
she wears a veil.
drenched in perfume
concealing the days
of her laboures life

Lady dance, dream, dare
to drop your mask
and sing a new song
Become your shadow
when the night is still young

20 comments:

  1. Love the idea of "coloured thoughts"! A beautiful poem!

    We too are not really Halloween orientated! Although the idea seems to be filtering into the merchandise in shops!

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  2. I enjoyed your carneval. Thank you. And bravo for writing poetry in a language other than your mother tongue!

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  3. May I have this dance, mysterious lady?

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  4. Hi Marja! Carnaval in Rio... This post looks rather Venetian... ;)

    Recovering from the flu and other viruses, Blogtrotter Two is waiting for you with views, palaces and gardens in Algiers... Enjoy and have a great weekend!

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  5. nice. I like the veil of perfume disguising her labors. wonder if all social groups have some sort of steam release valve?

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  6. Carnaval is eigenlijk alleen voor zuid Nederland and Halloween wordt hier nog steeds niet echt gevierd. Wij wachten af wat Sinterklaas zal brengen!
    Bedankt voor je bezoek!

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  7. A great atmosphere you've created with this.

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  8. Lady, dance, dare
    to drop your mask
    and sing a new song

    I just love the above words - delightfully written!

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  9. By the way do you know my cousin Charlene Warman? Just had to ask!

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  10. Beautiful poem. Indeed some people can become 'someone else' when they put on a mask. Sometimes for better, sometimes for worse. As you said, become the shadow. The metamorphoses in your poem was a sweet one, however. Loved the wings of a butterfly and the sweet perfume.

    (Was in Christchurch, by the way.)

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  11. Enjoyed the background story as well as the poem. It is sad that the transformation couldn't have lasted longer.

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  12. What a pretty poem filled with lovely images.
    Pamela

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  13. Thanks Gemma Here you see more Haloween stuff in the shops as well
    I think the kids pick it up

    Thanks vive I never wrote poetry in dutch so I don't know how that feels

    Squirrel ok but don't step on her toes

    Not in Rio trotter in wijchen

    I think so braincat There are so many festivals and celebrations

    Hi wil yes I didn't think about that although I lived in Gelderland
    so it is a big part of Holland

    Thanks anthony

    Diane I don't know your cousin I live on the south of christchurch

    Indeed Mary sometimes for the worse as well. You were in Christchurch Next time hop by for a coffee

    That would be good wouldn't it pp

    Thanks cyclops

    Thanks pamela

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  14. You said during Carnival people are more open and passionate being behind a mask can bring bravery to be open and fun loving. I hope you enjoy Carnival as much as we enjoy Halloween.

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  15. I like the mask as metamorphosis.

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  16. I so enjoyed reading the way you put your words and images together for this. You sound like a woman of the world--from Netherlands to New Zealand. The most exciting Carneval we ever witnessed was in Maastrict. (When we lived in Utrecht.)

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  17. Yes, indeed, it should have lasted longer. :)

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  18. Yes, I am the one who lived in Utrecht. Sorry my comment was not linked to my blog. I am still not really adept with all this linking and such. I even tried to find your e-mail and could not find it. The e-mail link on your profile did not work for me. We lived in Utrecht in 1987-88 (and in Mepple in 1969-70.) My e-mail is Peggan@aol.com and you did find my blog I see at http://ponderingspeggy.blogspot.com/

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  19. I enjoyed to read your nice poem,Marja!

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Thank you!!