Falsehood Tells No Lies
By John Herlihy

There are some things you should know about you and me;
Certain things not openly visible for everyone clearly to see.
We need to confess to a number of innocent little falsehoods,
That once revealed will send us hurrying deep into the woods.
You may think me honest, but I have my own version of truths;
We all have secret faults to be revealed by tenacious sleuths.
I have always known what is so wrong and what is so right;
Why should we reveal our darkness in preference to our light?

When I see others who are still smoking, I snicker and gloat;
Forgetful of the times I enjoyed my own clandestine smoke.
My own weaknesses and faults I cover up with silly grins;
I would never admit familiarity with the seven deadly sins.
Buried deep within me lies a propensity to a lazy sloth;
But if accused, I would lie about it claiming a sacred oath.
Let us not forget our adolescence and the agony of lust,
When every fiber in our bodies are crying out must, must.

But no one openly admits it, wishing our shame to spare;
Better to pretend and lie about it, hoping no one will care.
Who can escape a creeping sensation filling us with pride;
Whether justified or unjustified, a thing we prefer to hide.
What about the covetousness that openly leads to greed.
A wish to gather undue blessings by planting a single seed;
Honestly, binge-eating is yet another sign of biblical gluttony.
We claim false achievements in a supreme act of vainglory.

We let loose with an angry wrath that hardly justifies our ire;
Even our sorrow can be a luxury that may lead us to despair.
The strange thing about falsehood is it tells no true lies;
Truth finds a way to unashamedly pour forth from the eyes.
Perhaps the time has arrived to make a final confession,
To put an end to our falsehoods as prelude to contrition.
When it comes to my saintliness, we are but pale reflection,
As we pass all earthly stations along the road to perfection.