MASKS SLIP AND SLIDE

The beast opens his mouth wide and gorges you on benevolence. He practices charm and laughter in front of ancient pitted mirrors, mirrors too old to do anything but reflect a sliver of the beast, but it works and he nods his angel face in gratitude. He is eighteen years and smooth, he is a trillion years and jagged, you see what is needed to be seen, what is on offer. Masks slip and slide for the best of us, our own creature, spawn of the beast, hides little...hides nothing. But the beast is a billion faces in a moment, a horned affectation of deliverance and succor. "Let me be by your side"..."Let us travel the world"..."Friends for lifetimes". Mirrored smiles and slow batted eyelids, who can resist, who is meant to? The beast is innocence, the innocence of soft candy melting in a childs hand. The beast is compassion, the compassion of a gently held face in mourning. The beast is the nature of man, brittle lust and envy served up as freedom to be. The beast has us caught in his outstretched arms...and we're loving it.