The Masked Ones Know
High in the branches, hidden from sight,
They gather quietly under the night.
With faces masked and watchful eyes,
They’ve learned the truth behind our lies.
They do not speak, they do not warn,
They’ve watched us break, betray, and mourn.
From hollow limbs and twisted trees,
They keep our secrets with the leaves.
The woods have ears, or so they say,
And nothing truly fades away.
Each whispered threat, each hidden sin,
The forest heard where men had been.
A raccoon waits upon the bark,
A little thief dressed for the dark.
Yet thieves aren’t always those who steal…
Some only witness what is real.
They’ve watched the lovers sneak away,
The guilty kneel at break of day.
They’ve seen the shovel strike the dirt,
And heard the prayers of those once hurt.
They’ve watched men swear with bloody hands,
Then wash them clean in river sands.
They’ve seen the innocent take blame,
While cowards walked away with names.
No courtroom called these creatures in,
No priest confessed another’s sin.
No judge would ask what shadows knew,
But every branch remembers you.
For nature has a wicked way
Of keeping records night and day.
The bark holds scars, the roots hold bones,
The wind repeats forgotten moans.
And masked above, with patient stare,
Those little watchers linger there.
They’ve seen enough to understand
That monsters often walk as man.
Perhaps that’s why they hide their face,
And choose the trees as safer space.
For beasts don’t frighten beasts at night…
It’s people who should cause the fright.
So laugh and call them thieves if you please,
As they disappear among the trees.
But should you wander after dark,
And feel those eyes beyond the bark…
Remember this before you flee…
The masked ones know what no one sees.
And if the woods should speak one day…
Manifest your name isn’t what they say.
Reading this poem, I was captivated by how it brings to life the idea that nature itself is a silent observer of humanity's actions. The imagery of masked creatures—like the raccoon described as a 'little thief dressed for the dark'—adds a mysterious, almost supernatural dimension to the natural world. It made me think about how forests are often seen as sacred or secretive spaces where every rustle and shadow might tell a story. In my own experience spending time in wooded areas, I've often felt this quiet presence, as if the forest itself remembers more than we know. The poem’s themes about nature ‘keeping records’ with scars on bark and roots holding bones evoke the idea that the environment carries the memory of human deeds—good or bad. This can remind us to tread carefully and respectfully in natural spaces. Moreover, the concept that 'monsters often walk as man' and that the real fright comes from people rather than beasts resonated with me deeply. It brings up reflections on human nature, morality, and secrets we hide not just from others but sometimes from ourselves. I appreciate how the poem captures these profound ideas in a lyrical and metaphorical style that encourages readers to slow down and think about the unseen watchers around us. For anyone interested in poetry, nature, or the interplay between human experience and the wilderness, this piece offers a meaningful perspective. Hiking in quiet woods, I’ve sometimes paused, wondering what mysteries those 'masked ones' might be guarding just beyond sight.
luv the poem