Thin Veil

A thin veil often separates what we see and what we feel
The façade we paint for others vs the truth that's all too real
The picture-perfect family that leads a picture-perfect life
Often times traps and confines an abused and battered wife
The child who's so involved with accomplishing every deed
Simply seeks approval - an integral, primal need
The man who makes a fortune with the beautiful trophy spouse
May come home to loneliness in a cold, unloving house
We say that we are passionate. Fight for a cause we stand behind
But in focusing on one sole point we've, in other things, gone blind
In pointing and accusing, we are not resolute
Compassion's full of compromise. Few things are absolute
We point and laugh at heavy kids, completely unaware
They may be sick, on steroids, and they'd just love for you to care
The mom who's not so fashion smart and often looks a tad askew
May be working sixteen hour days. Oh, if we only knew
And the child who struggles daily with bullying and strife
May just 'seem quiet' to most of us, but tomorrow takes his life
Or the pendulum swings widely when we ache and must avenge
And that 'loner' of a youngster may scheme to seek revenge
Honesty has been consumed by popularity and pride
Respect is chivalry's companion in death, a speech-less, love-less 'omni-cide'
We've got to come back to core; to the values we once held dearly
The thin veil needs to rise so we can see and love each other clearly.

~ Lyn Marinello