honesty is something

sometimes I think the words write me

Twice in the last week writers have used the word "honest" to describe our ideal destination in writing poetry. I think the Universe may be trying to tell me something here. I am not honest. Not that I would lie; I am generally truthful. I am, after all, a veritable silver-tongued chameleon of epic proportions. I tease and charm and flaunt classification on gossamer butterfly wings. I draw my heart's ache on the page knowing full well that the emotion is fleeting and will change when the winds do. I barely recognize the truth at all from one day to another. I wonder if I have the necesary maps and charts to get to 'honesty'.

 

Honesty is a pre-requisite for what? Women are notorious for creating a more beautiful honest. We can thank Eve and her luscious, red apple for the beginnings of our rambling half-truths. And if I'm not what you think I am, and frankly, some days I couldn't say for certain, I wonder if I should I put up disclaimers? Truth-in-advertising: "she's not quite sure what she ought to be". Or something like that.

 

I am so many different things to so many different people. But who can say for sure exactly what I am? What if every thing changes with the weather? How do we pare down the honest moments? Because that's all they really are, fleeting little images with a sliver of truth that are subject to change at any given time. How do we create honesty? Shouldn't it be stolid as stone and immune from transformation?

 

And, somehow, I think when these words grow up and blow away, they will leave a shiny, little poem in their place . . .

Author's Note

just foolishness, that's all

Reviews

[Ed Hart]

When your eye ("I") is single, your whole being is filled with light... You want to know what honesty is? Honesty is being true to who you are. We give over playing games. We catch ourselves closer and closer to the game player in our hearts, until finally, there's hardly a burp before we go our way.... ("If to thine own self", etc., etc....)

[Inkcognito]

Bravo! "honesty" in writing is very much in the eye of the beholder and as long as we contintue to be our authentic selves, well...who cares what others consider to be "honest" or not...
...that's my story, and I'm sticking by it!

[Corinne]

Very well said. I think that honesty really has to do with being true to yourself. Once you can trust yourself, subconsciously honesty is put forth, and in some sense a domino affect. But if I may add, many people put up disclaimers because they don't actually believe in themselves.

[Linear]

In my integrity I shall slumber, till morning comes or bough brakes, and when I awake what tales I shall tell to keep you awake.

[...]

. i think what you've written here is a very honest piece of writing ... but i also think that we have a core that does not change entirely ... it usually evolves ... and honesty can't lie in a perfect prediction about itself and the constant proclamation of that prediction ... sometimes we make a guess ... go with our gut and take a risk ... in the hopes of finding something new or evolving faster or learning something ... there's honesty in the taking of that risk ... a great deal of it ... and it's not consequence-dependent ... maybe we find out ... we took a wrong turn ... and maybe then we revert to an older path ... that's honest too ... so glad you wrote this ... you address a very real and valid concern of any and every poet ... especially aspiring ones like me ...

[David W Moore III]

Honesty makes a piece hit home. Is honesty an eternal truth? no. Is honesty even true at all? Not necessarily. It is just true to the person saying it. But when it is honest, the reader can feel it, and no matter whether they like it or not, the power of it will transfer to them, and it must be respected. That is my take anyway.

[Desert Dreamer]

It seems you are being honest in saying things change including us. The universe speaks...thanks for sharing it with the rest of us.

[Narnie]

Once, I said I hated someone. Some while later, I pitied them. Now I feel nothing towards them. Honesty and truths grow with us, I believe. Not just relating to other people... but to ourselves, also. Surely the greatest crime is to be so wary of tomorrows that we fail to speak our truth today? The difference for us, as poets and storytellers, is that we write those feelings down and they are cast as who we are instead of a reflection of how we have contorted those feelings into something that might speak to others.

I'm one of those people who finds it *extremely* hard to write about what is happening at that moment. I digest that moment and let it grow before I put it to life on paper. Otherwise I think the words would drown in hate or love.

I think the truth of a great writer is to realise that the only honesty in our words, comes from those words that are written from that little place a little bit deeper... not somewhere poetic like our heart or our soul... but in that tiny pocket of our brain that has the need to reach out to others with words. The rest of the brain might try to fathom reason or truth, but that little pocket writes from an affinity of the important, non important things that no-one else pays much mind to.

Today, at least.

[Alicante lullaby]

honest...very honest...
our kind usually cannot help changing every minute....perhaps,biggest truth ofall is...there is no truth or perhaps every one has their own truth...i wish honesty
,truth etc were solid rocks ,atleast, a badge to adorn upon chest...anywayz if it is..[.afterall our opinions are subject to changes]...do tell me :)

[Fabian G. Franklin]

You don't "honestly" believe that story about Eve and the Apple to do? lol Poetry should be "honest"? From whom? To whom? For what purpose? Frankly, I'm confused. Poetry should make me think and make me feel...beyond that; I couldn't give less of a damn how "honest" it is. I want honesty in business. I want satisfaction in pleasure. Poetry is pleasure to me. And I'm in the business of pleasure so I'll give as much honest satisfaction as I can. How's that? I like this!

[Tracie Skarbo]

foolishness? Hardly! You have conjoured so many wonderful lines in this...

I am, after all, a veritable silver-tongued chameleon of epic proportions. I tease and charm and flaunt classification on gossamer butterfly wings.---excellent! You have made me look at honesty with a whole new light...wondering my place within the scheme of things. Thanks so much for this!