MIRROR POEMS: THE LIE

-- A Pure Lie --

John Herlihy

We characterize lies as false, sinister and untrue ,

As malicious and evil as anything we ever knew.

How can we understand the sense of the pure lie?

The word ‘pure’ uttered the whole person to decry.

The accused is not just guilty of a lie white or gray;

An implication lingers all utterly dark what they say.

Let’s face it, language can take an interesting turn;

We sometimes use words to show our hearts burn.

The eyes glow, the tongue is sharp, the lips are taut;

Pure lies echo in ways that might never be sought.

Up against the little white lie, the pure lie pure evil,

As if uttered by the fiery lips of a red-cloaked devil.

A pure lie lays claim to be the ultimate lie for sure,

Left behind the question: what makes a lie impure?

-- An Impure Lie --

John Herlihy

An impure lie may leave us some room for digression;

An element of the truth may give pause for reflection.

How do we truly understand the sense of an impure lie?

The word ‘impure’ uttered in order the pure lie to decry.

The liar not simply accused of uttering some pure evil,

As though issued forth from the lips of a hissing devil.

In fact, language can qualify words with a useful hint,

In order to ensure a true sense what a person meant.

The eyes lowered, the mouth crooked, tongue in cheek,

A pure liar seems arrogant, while the impure liar meek.

Up against the absolute quality rendered by a pure liar,

The impure liar may come across as a hesitant decrier.

A pure lie will lay claim to be the ultimate lie for sure,

That’s why I always prefer to talk with a liar ‘impure’.

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(c) John Herlihy 22 August 2019