MASQUE OF LAUGHTER
Always a smile on his face
The sound of laughter in his voice
That’s what everyone has to say about me
And it’s true…but if only they knew
It’s only a masque of laughter
That I wear for them all
Whenever I know someone else is there
If you could see me when no one else is around
Or maybe when my guard is a little down
When my masque of laughter is not in place
You will see a completely different face
A face where the laughter lines
Have over the years been etched with my tears
Of loneliness, failure, and oh so many fears
Listen closely to the sound of my laughter
Wait for the party to stop and everyone to go home
And soon after, you might realise
That laughter was really my cry for help
A masque in my voice like the masque on my face
Both gone as soon as you walk out of this place
Laughter for tomorrows built upon today’s sorrows
My masque of laughter, how can any of you not see
That’s all any you ever get from me
In public my glass is never empty
The places at my table are always full
But alone my glass is full of my tears
My table, my room, my life
They are all of them empty
I am alone, a fool, wearing only
My masque of laughter
LAST TWO LINES SPOKEN AFTER SONG ENDS
"Masque of Laughter" Copyright © Tom King 2022
The sound of laughter in his voice
That’s what everyone has to say about me
And it’s true…but if only they knew
It’s only a masque of laughter
That I wear for them all
Whenever I know someone else is there
If you could see me when no one else is around
Or maybe when my guard is a little down
When my masque of laughter is not in place
You will see a completely different face
A face where the laughter lines
Have over the years been etched with my tears
Of loneliness, failure, and oh so many fears
Listen closely to the sound of my laughter
Wait for the party to stop and everyone to go home
And soon after, you might realise
That laughter was really my cry for help
A masque in my voice like the masque on my face
Both gone as soon as you walk out of this place
Laughter for tomorrows built upon today’s sorrows
My masque of laughter, how can any of you not see
That’s all any you ever get from me
In public my glass is never empty
The places at my table are always full
But alone my glass is full of my tears
My table, my room, my life
They are all of them empty
I am alone, a fool, wearing only
My masque of laughter
LAST TWO LINES SPOKEN AFTER SONG ENDS
"Masque of Laughter" Copyright © Tom King 2022
NOTE. "Masque of Laughter" probably came about by seeing an old antique print of actors wearing theatrical masques for an old "masque" stage performance. I then started to think just how many of us always hide behind a theatrical masque in our own lives and put on a public performance when with others around that is far from how we truly feel inside.