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The Strongest Lie



 We have always believed the most dangerous lie
When they brought out the chicken,
Laid the egg in our hands...
When they read from the book of Fryers
The story of the sale and the feast;
The Mother Who Feeds Us 
With every part of her body and family,
We confess our unity.

When they say It Has Been Always Thus
Covered starving in other truths
Excavated by sharp words.
We held it steady and waited.
This will be our small lie, 
Our foundational myth of consumption,
Our taking from the Mother
Our stealing our lives.

We repeat, together, as we cradle the egg
Only the bravest can handle the Lie,
The most dangerous lie.
Truth is hidden. It is weak. It is written.
We are to keep it always so.
Between us. Unsaid. 
The Mother always hid it from the Lie,
The, good, wise, strong Lie
We have always believed.
We will always believe.
Thus, we eat.

Sharing with The Sunday Muse #175. There is no interpretive text this week, as scholars strongly disagree about whether words have any meaning left. I am tempted by the Gum School, which theorizes that anything handled by the mouth loses savor with use. 

-- Chrissa

Comments

  1. indybevAugust 28, 2021 at 9:53 AM

    An enigmatic and engaging write.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Carrie Van HornAugust 28, 2021 at 10:09 AM

    A hard truth runs through your wise poem Chrissa! it is crazy what we accept in life as truth, and then hold it close. Wishing you a safe and wonderful weekend my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  3. FireblossomAugust 28, 2021 at 5:09 PM

    Bawk!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sumana RoyAugust 28, 2021 at 9:09 PM

    Weak truth & strong lie....this is this world. Beautifully put.

    ReplyDelete
  5. robkistnerAugust 28, 2021 at 11:47 PM

    Oh my, this peels a number of layers from the artichoke, and bares a rich core.

    ReplyDelete
  6. SunitaAugust 29, 2021 at 8:44 AM

    This is a powerful piece, Chrissa. Every layer is so profound and makes one to introspect the different shades in life. Sort of a reality check. Just brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  7. TruedessaAugust 29, 2021 at 9:26 AM

    If we are fed enough lies we believe it, we need to spit out the spoils if we are to find truth.

    ReplyDelete
  8. HelenAugust 29, 2021 at 9:31 AM

    Reading your poem feels like I have traveled to another time, place, world, galaxy.
    [ Only the bravest can handle the Lie ]

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gillena CoxAugust 29, 2021 at 2:30 PM

    Ths truth is we must eat. We all must eat
    Thanks for dropping by my blig today Chrissa

    Much❤love

    ReplyDelete
  10. JimAugust 29, 2021 at 5:52 PM

    Sounds like a fraternity/sorority/lodge initiation of getting the secret word. Feed you to the lions if you divulge and lose your entrance if you forget it.
    ..

    ReplyDelete
  11. qbitAugust 29, 2021 at 6:49 PM

    Thought provoking from the very first lines! And loving the Gum school... Going to have to chew on that a bit. Or, no, well, you know!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Susie ClevengerAugust 30, 2021 at 1:46 PM

    You have said so much in this poem. It appears the lie gets more mileage, more worship than truth.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Marion HortonAugust 31, 2021 at 12:00 AM

    Scary to think how lies become 'fact.' Forceful and compelling poem and message.

    ReplyDelete

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