Women in Carnival TT🇹🇹
Are we courting fire and brimstone?
Or, how deep are we into Hades?
Toe deep, ankle deep, knee?
It worried me for a while,
My masquerading sisters,
Playing mas so bare.
I pondered and contemplated.
You know, there was a time,
When women did not play mas,
Even though there were female roles
Men played them,
As i ponder, present day, women in mas,
Could it be, we are poems of protest?
Our energies are varied:
You know how recess time at school,
For some kids was play till you sweat,
While some more reserved will,
Go back to class intact,
Shirt in pants blouse in skirt.
So the way some women plas mas today,
Is our mind set recess time?
Then what of the spirit,
Because some folks cannot,
Look at these (ob)scenes,
Remember The Garden of Eden?
Remember how innocent we were,
Before that bite of the apple?
Then what happened?
God fashioned clothes
From fig leaves for us.
Are we poems of protest?
Is it recess time?
Will we get enough clothes sewn?
Do we need clothes in our sunfest?
Guidelines:
- Begin with a question but don’t answer it. Let it breathe.
2. Continue with more questions that deepen, pivot, or expand on the theme.
3. Pair each question with imagery and metaphor. Let the image do some of the work of meaning.
4. Use at least two other poetic devices:
*personification
*alliteration or assonance
*contrast or paradox
*repetition for musicality
5.End on a question and resist the urge to resolve.
Let curiosity guide your lines. Let questions feel as powerful as answers.

When one plays mas, is it by participating musically, or just by masquerading? Or both?
ReplyDeleteYes indeed!
ReplyDeleteThanks for dropping by Ken
Much love
Good questions. My favorite question: Is it recess time? Smiles. Thanks for joining in.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation, Grace
ReplyDeleteMuch love
I love the way the opening questions introduced the alliterative ‘masquerading sisters’ and continued to ponder on history, the way women became ‘poems of protest’, taking us right back to the Garden of Eden. The final questions tie it all together well. Nice one, Gillena!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation, Kim
ReplyDeleteMuch love
I understand how some people are uncomfortable at "masquerading sisters,
ReplyDeletePlaying mas so bare." but surely that is the point - Carnival is a day when normal social values and mores are inverted for the day, not just to let off steam, but to strengthen the norms for the rest of the year... Your poem is a great exploration of the "Festival of Misrule" phenomena, Gillena...
Thanks for your appreciation, Frewin
ReplyDeleteMuch love
...I hope that you had a festive Carnival.
ReplyDeleteHappy you dropped by Tom. I am now a mere spectator in the sphere of Carnival, unlike my younger day, when i was in the thick of things
ReplyDeleteMuch love
I would love to join a band, wear an outrageous [yet tasteful] costume and ask you to join me as we waltz down the Streets ~~~ maybe a bit of protest thrown in for good measure??
ReplyDeleteThat sounds so nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your appreciation, Helen
Much love
"Are we poems of protest?" What a beautiful line and theme.
ReplyDeleteGreat questions, Gillena.
ReplyDelete