heavy head held up in declaration / stubborn chin / strut of broad space and right to own

iron mask / no holes for ears /a mask that  fits / whoever puts it on /

when I thought to limit damage and put it on my head / I was small  / not grand /

/ sacrificed encouraging touch / confidence in another / honest smile / generous intention

gave up / the deliberate discipline of hopeful act

some settle for this / these do not escape /

/ when worms burrow one so encased /  lies and fear are what they eat for dinner /

but some / squeezed in narrow places / do escape

/these keep trust cocked to not trust what is only / said / to listen for what is not

form  muscular habits of thinking / and delicately prime  nerves to sense/ before  danger is near / that action must be taken

/these want to know / not what can be endured / knowing nothing can safely

/ be endured / but what can be saved/

want to know  / if those who don the mask / can feel

or dead already  have been  judged / not  suited to survive/

heavy weighted head held up in declaration / stubborn chin / strut of broad space and right to own

/ arrogance to grant

little head /

trust betrayed  feeds defiance / disappointed hope builds a weighty force / bones of lie crumble

/ no skeleton holds the muscle of deceit in place

Jo Mariner (image: mask on gold ring © Victoria and Albert Museum, London)