Statue of Truth
The Supreme Court of Canada

 

~Truth~               

~Honesty~

"The face of Truth is covered with a golden lid. 

O Nourisher (Sun), do thou remove it, 

so that I, who adore the True, may behold it". 

Verse 15 of the Isha Upanishad

 

This above all- to thine own self be true,

And it must follow, as the night the day, 

Thou canst not then be false to any man.

Shakespeare, Hamlet

What is truth? What is honesty? How did you learn about them?

In a time when some Governments lean away from truth, are we leaning more toward it?  Does it matter?  

(And on a lighter note, it is pure coincidence that this truth prompt opens on April Fools Day.  Make of that what you will!)

Adopt a point of view for your poem. Each of the sample poets below has a strong point of view.  

Enjoy.

💙💙💙

Tell all the truth but tell it slant –

By Emily Dickinson

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant –
Success in Circuit lies
Too bright for our infirm Delight
The Truth's superb surprise

As Lightning to the Children eased
With explanation kind
The Truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind –

truth

By Gwendolyn Brooks

And if sun comes

How shall we greet him?

Shall we not dread him,

Shall we not fear him

After so lengthy a

Session with shade?

Though we have wept for him,

Though we have prayed

All through the night-years—

What if we wake one shimmering morning to

Hear the fierce hammering

Of his firm knuckles

Hard on the door?

Shall we not shudder?—

Shall we not flee

Into the shelter, the dear thick shelter

Of the familiar

Propitious haze?

Sweet is it, sweet is it

To sleep in the coolness

Of snug unawareness.

The dark hangs heavily

Over the eyes.

 

Legacies

By Nikki Giovanni

her grandmother called her from the playground   

       “yes, ma’am”

       “i want chu to learn how to make rolls” said the old   

woman proudly

but the little girl didn’t want

to learn how because she knew

even if she couldn’t say it that

that would mean when the old one died she would be less   

dependent on her spirit so

she said

       “i don’t want to know how to make no rolls”

with her lips poked out

and the old woman wiped her hands on

her apron saying “lord

       these children”

and neither of them ever

said what they meant

and i guess nobody ever does

 💙💙💙

Please link one poem that is your response to this prompt.  

After you link your poem, please visit others,

and

Don't forget to include this link in your post.