Ode to Truth

What is truth?

 

That evasive chimera

Tormentor of thinkers

Hunter of the guilty

Aim of the honest

Leader of the lost

 

We may search for it

Prize it above all else

But we seek an illusion

For the harder we look

The more faint it grows

And as we grasp it firmly

It alters depth and form

A hologram of the soul

 

We may seek to evade it

Twist it to our own ends

But we can never escape it

For it is with us and within

The awe of it never leaves us

And the further from it we stray

The more we fear the certainty

That there is only truth at the end

 

We may say we live by it

Make it our highest praise

But we worship a false idol

For truth is not as a rock

The fickle heart of the man

Makes the nature of the truth

And between truth and lie

There is but a point of view

 

We may use it to aid us

To justify and to guide us

But we follow an unlit lamp

For it is dark behind our eyes

The cradle of truth lies there

Not showing us the way

But streaming out behind us

A comet trail of the mind

 

How, then, shall we decide?

How can we do what is right?

How can we know ourselves?

How may we say we are honest?

 

It seems we can know only this:

That one day we will face the truth

When nothing more can be hidden

And no more lies can be told

And then we will finally know

Whether we are honest or not

And it may be that real truth

Is only what we believe in our hearts

And we can only say we are honest

If we are true to ourselves

 

For that is the nature of truth. 

Reviews

[ice]

"We may say we live by it
Make it our highest praise
But we worship a false idol
For truth is not as a rock
The fickle heart of the man
Makes the nature of the truth
And between truth and lie
There is but a point of view"

To me, the most profound stanza in the poem..it could stand by itself as a short poem.

There is so much truth in this poem, that in confounds me..

I thought I knew the truth once
I was about fifteen, and knew everything.
Then I started working with poor blacks, and migrants
And found their truths were different than mine.

This poem, in its refreshing wisdom
Reminded me of that time in my life.
Also reminded me of how false those feelings
of knowing it all really were.

The poem was done with care, and thought
Just as a poem of this topic should be.
I enjoyed reading it.

[Tina Kline]

So very true! An impressive write indeed. Love your word choices for this, its just as grand as the poem. Easy to read and follow, which makes a poem more enjoyable in my opinion. This is great writing, all the way around.

[William Maisonave]

Everytime I read something you've written I'm amazed...
"tormentor of thinkers, hunter of the guilty..." " we follow an unlit lamp, For it is dark behind our eyes..."
Two people can look at the exact same thing and see it differently. So,yes, truth and reality are only a matter of perception. I enjoy your topics and applaud your extraordinary talent.

[Margaret Marie Hubbard]

WOW! Amazing and brilliant!

[Revolutionary]

A holegram of the soul...It is dark behind our eyes.Serious imagry.I think I will go to sleep tonight with the line dark behind my eyes.I am going to have a hard time not saying that to some one who is blind to my insight in the next few days.
As always it is well written and the measures are perfect but I don't care about rules and laws.I amall about the raw visual and you always deliver

[VIK]

really liked it..... a thought provoking poem....

[Jim Parson]

Wow, that just about covers it! A comprehensive, well conceived and well delivered dissertation on the age old question. A very cerebral, philosophical write, Zoe, one I enjoyed very much.

[Lilly Negoi]

oh my!
"How, then, shall we decide?
How can we do what is right?
How can we know ourselves?
How may we say we are honest?"
the relativity of perception - and yet the last three lines are the best answer to these questions. indeed, we are honest if we are true to ourselves!
sharp penning!

[Robin]

another example of truth in relation to perspective ... i enjoyed reading this

[Kia]

Deep and strong!