Telling a truth isn’t the same as telling a lie

One of them falls so easily from honeyed lips

Its cadence and melody designed to help you believe

Begging you to come closer and enter a world

Where beauty and kindness are twisted reflections

Of themselves and ourselves and where a lie isn’t

Is as good an indicator of its true nature as where it is

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The raw misshapen truth often hurts when it comes into the world

Born as it is from a grown woman in all the heartache and break

That first gave rise to her childhood sense of self worth and depth

In all truth there is often a little hint of a lie not of exaggeration

Not of pontification but rather of exploration of what it means to me

Minimisation and a repudiation of the desire for vindication and a messy

Blooded and unpleasant form is truth when it first breathes in the world

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Truth must display the consequences of the lie withheld for so long that it

Rotted in a soft heart and found its shape in the crevices and pouches hidden

Because it was impolite, rude, arrogant, difficult and wilful

Oh yes the truth is indeed quite unpleasant

Whereas sweet little lies are dusted sugar drop candies designed to appeal and appease

Hold your applause please and instead of swallowing take a moment to heed

The ugly forgotten step-sister who cries out in terror and real broken need

//

Until the truth gurgles and overflows from her mouth in a cleansing

Vomit of flesh and bone and deformed fluids

Roiling your stomach its unflinchingly horrible stare

Accusing you and shaming you but look at the truth-telling girl

Who lies resting and peacful for the first time in years her

Broken heart healing and her demons outside of her have so much less power

And where telling a lie provides a temporary relief it is telling the truth

That brought her the cure