Episode 12: Masque Fairy Racing

Stream the episode now on SoundCloud or your favorite podcast player, and read along with the author.

1. Masque

you buy clothes you never wear 
to impress people who don't care 
you can't speak in front of crowds 
you should get your head checked
you have blisters on your heels 
from shoes that refuse to be broken in
you wear makeup to even out your tan 
certainly not to impress a man
your mirror reflection of self 
doesn't match the one inside
you sing songs of love and heartbreak 
because you cannot handle reality’s handshake 
from the jump you push everyone away 
to protect yourself from the inevitable day 
when they will turn and walk away
because that's what they do 
when they're done with you
you wear so many masks 
you forget which one is 
for him
for her 
for them
shattered self and shadows 
intertwine on your Halo of thorns
be careful not to bleed everywhere 
blood is hard to get out of the carpet

2. A fairy tale

I have no father-in-law 
(I'm sure he exists) 
he sleeps, fucks my mother-in-law 
(hopefully she's a nice lady and will treat me well) 
he showers and is a good Christian 
a good Christian is rare in this country 
Hypocrites, the lot of them
God knows the cross I bear 
would make the Virgin Mary cry
wonder how many 
brothers and sisters he fathered 
before my husband 
natural / illegitimate / aborted
my husband has a 50/50 chance
 of marrying my father-in-law 
a hypocritical Christian / an honest atheist
good father to his real kids / a bad musician in the car
someone is playing a game / in the house that I grew up in 
the house where I thought / a marriage would free me
my castle / my abode / the place I thought I'd never leave 
pry the deed from my cold dead hands
 the house where AJ scratched my cheek
my people are maids 
my people eat bratwurst 
my people make wine 
my people run with the bulls
my people Dance with Dragons 
my people conceal carry in the dark

3. Human Racing

surviving is a verb, living is too 
breathing 
smelling 
touching 
words that imply movement
I've not stopped moving 
since yesterday 
whenever that was
wish I could stop time 
the rat race 
aging 
Death 
Sex 
Taxes
Memento Mori 
Latin: remember you will die
keep that Hubris in check
we're all born to die 
a monied death 
if you didn't buy it, you are the product
can't stop, won't stop, you don't even know how to stop
stop the ride 
the human race
please exit through the gift shop

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