Man Painting Masks

 

Two faces. Two smiles. 

and approximately two thousand miles. 

Ollie never painted faces, he sketched them like a song,

Rich, synchronized, and a little faded all along. 

He created for all a memory, an honest $10 a piece,

No less no more, a fair exchange for his day's peace. 

On a fine April day of the fools that you all know, 

Came an even fine young woman with a sky-blue bow.

She sat and stared and got lost in thought for a while,

The white of her dress still scented of the freshly left aisle. 

"My name's Ollie and what shall I call you miss?"

Call me Sarah just Sarah as she was no longer his. 

"Paint me a picture, please. Here! here's his face",

She pulled out a delicate parchment from her thin white case. 

Paint me with him and make me look in his eyes,

It was a fine young man with a sky-blue tie.

Ollie had never before painted from a picture, 

But the blue bow one had eyes as honest as a scripture. 

This time he sketched a delicate love song for two, 

"Mr. Ollie! This is beautiful. This is perfect. Thank you."

As he wiped the charcoal off his chubby wrinkled hands, 

He asked her who he had drawn with the silver wedding band?

"He is the one who couldn't make it out of the picture you see"

Can you mail this painting to the Mayor's mansion by the sea?

I'd be forever grateful and will one day return your favor, 

I must now leave this town for it's time for me to be a little braver. 

The blue bow became smaller as she ran towards the city bus stop,

"One-way ticket please" she popped into her seat with a little hop.

As the bus moved away, the newsboy announced for the townspeople to hear,

"She's gone! Left him at the altar!" Have you heard the lady just disappeared? 

Ollie looked at the painting and felt his insides churn,

What had he done? Could it not be undone?

That's when he heard the town's sincere whispers from them all, 

How the mayor's son pulled her bow and laughed loudest when she'd fall. 

The lady had never left the castle nor did any labour, 

The man in the picture was from yesterday's evening paper.

Ollie painted a mask for a man and a story for a woman, 

He looked at the clean green bill and hidden note for a summon:

"From the morning sunlight to the dark night's beam,

If it was all a lie, I'd like to remember it like a sweet dream.

I'll live and I'll love and wear my blue bow all the time, 

And if I am put behind the bars, it'd rather be for this crime."

Love and only love from far far away,

I hope you remember my blue bow every single day."