The Truth of It

If Dr. Seuss were to write a morality poem about what TRUTH is, it might sound a bit like this.

JUDGE 

(TO BOTH PLAINTIFF AND DEFENDANT):

Though I appreciate you both believe you have a valid arguments and thereby a case, it is clear you are both unable to see beyond the limits of your own point of view.  

I must point out to you that though you each believe your own version of Truth is the accurate account, there is something about Truth that you are both guilty of failing to understand:

The Truth of it is ...

The Truth it is...

The Truth is

The Truth...

The Truth is the Truth and it never will change.

What it is now it will be then, and again.

Truth remains staid and is never subjective,

It is never the root cause of life's pain.

Truth may not be possessed nor held unto at all,

Won’t be borrowed, nor lent, nor levied.

Truth will stand only for what it is, unchanging.

And will remain all that it is or will be.

Truth will not stand for this thing or that,

It cannot belong to here, nor to there.

Truth will not be hidden in secrets or whispers.

Truth is causeless, eternal, without care.

Truth won’t be adjusted to meet any end.

Nor truth can you ever deceive.

Truth cares not if you love, adore or embrace it.

Nor cares if you do or do not believe.

What Truth is today is as it ever will be.

Truth remains steadfast and ever consistent.

Truth cannot be bent to a will or intent.

Nor can it change from "it is" to "it isn’t".

What you call Truth is not Truth at all,

But only shades of unexamined perception,

Of all you’ve known, seen or felt within your own limitations.

What you call Truth is just your own self reflection.

To see Truth as it stands is a dificult thing

When viewed through only your one set of eyes.

Eyes trained to see only in preconceived patterns,

And discount all other view points  as lies.

You may continue on in this discourse forever.

You can fight, skirmish and battle the day long

But the truth will remain in the gulf standing between you,

And you will both go to your graves being wrong.

If you want to bring closure to what you have here,

While still enjoying what is left of your youth,

I suggest you throw down the arms, admit you are wrong,

And that in between you is where lies the truth.

CASE DISMISSED

Author's Note

A long held belief of mine that the truth remains veiled while we sit in the throes of discord. Not certain I said it best here, but I am satisfied for now that at least it has been said.

Reviews

[Muse]

Truth is....in our perception. It is like trying to convert an athiest into believing in God. Or like trying to convince an alchoholic that the pain feels better when sober. It is the naive belief that our children can do no wrong despite the fact they just lied to you an hour ago. Even the most convincing conspiracy theories that present all the supporting facts and witnesses..it will always stay just a conspiracy theory...because you will always have unbelievers. Ignorance is sometimes...eternal bliss.

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Thank you for taking time to stop in and read ... think on this one. One would think TRUTH would be more positively referenced, yet life proves that is not always the case. Yin/Yang - Black/White - Truth/UnTruth. One does not exist without the other. Thank you for your thoughts here.

[Rosalind Gale]

You know, Jehovah's Witnesses also call their particular brand of Christianity ''The Truth.'' I think that speaks volumes for what 'truth' is, or might be, or seems to be, or could be. Personally. I 'can't handle the truth.'
Love your work my friend -
-xx-

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

I love your comment. Can't handle the truth :).. Thank you so much for your thoughts. Truly means much that you came by to read and review.

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

Okay, my friend you have done it again! Do you know how much I love your controversial posts! You are my hero!

Who knew that a poem on truth could have me all tied up questioning myself and everything...that is good. I think of what Pilate said "what is truth?" I believe that there is a thing called truth that does not waiver...the rest is explanation of varying perspectives and can be clouded by perception. There was a wreck...yes, there was...why it happened is one of those gray areas as everyone will see that differently. There are truths that we think we know and yet, we will not know till we do. This is all my opinion of course, and
I reserve the right to state it LOL!

I just love it when someone makes me stop and take notice and reassess my whole way of thinking. Sometimes, I come out of the haze thinking the same as I did and sometimes I am clearer on what I hadn't thought through. I am going to keep on churning this around and around. Thank you.

Well written and love your voice and the fact that you always write things that matter. Love it! You Go, Girl! :)

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

A huge thank you for your review. Not just in that you enjoyed it, but I love to hear what others hear... experience, compare to themselves, and if it is close to my intent when I wrote it. I think this is a case of "yeah. You get me.". Thanks CAF:)

[Shimmerbliss/CAF]

I enjoyed it!

[emmajoy]

Right, first the poem .. succinct - a huddle of probabilities and/but positively considered; displayed clearly and with fine metre; full of profoundities but somehow, pointing in one direction - still trying to decide if my thought on that is due to the last two lines.

As to truth, well now, don't we generally see Truth through our own rearing, experiences, analysis and all that. Truth is variable according to a billion things under various categories. Perhaps it's simpler to decide what falsehoods/lies are, then, then reverse one's thinking?

Example, if one is told a truth then discovers it's a lie, what made you believe in the first place? Choose: a. you trusted, b. you believed, c. you were conned by someone cleverer or more devious than ..

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Ohhhh when you think aloud Miss Emma... my head starts to pound. The depth of your thoughts take me to a place where I get lost. Then you shine a light of words - make sense of it all. Deeply deeply deeply. I love when your words are left here!

[emmajoy]

Sometimes I say far, far too much!

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Nope. I just think too little.

[Zeek4]

Very good piece there Shelley. Truth is such a complicated issue and you have done well to outline some of the conundrum. I have long been fascinated by the concept of truth. It's in many ways similar to quantum mechanics and the problem of being the observer. In the process of observing the observer changes the circumstances of what is being observed, much like trying to find "truth," what ever that really is. I love reading things that get me thinking and this one has done it. It most of this doesn't make any sense I totally understand. Seeking truth is a lot like a cat chasing its own tale. My fondest wish is to have the whole thing explained to me after I pass into the great beyond.

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

I do believe you hit it there man. To know the truth of it... All of it. I am sure the answers will be seen in their completeness at that moment of passing.

[Sami Khalil]

Truth is veiled until it becomes a revelation or perception. Love seeks its own revelation in the heart of the beloved. Truth is the sister of justice thus the scale of justice.
Well written . Good concept.

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Sami ... Those comments of yours... Very Kahlil Gibrahn, a favorite of mine. Thank you for pointing out how interrelated these things can be. Perception, revelation, love, truth, justice. (though Gibrahan would have capitalized each of them.). They are all part of the same universal truth I think. Hmmm. Just fell into a hole!!

[Sami Khalil]

Please check my new poem that I titled Truth . I hope you like it.

[Chris]

Chuckling here

[zainul]

I love the poem.
It is thought-provoking .
The following stanza appeared very meaningful:
"What you call Truth is not Truth at all,

But only shades of unexamined perception,

Of all you’ve known, seen or felt within your own limitations.

What you call Truth is just your own self reflection."

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Thank you for your comments. Inadvertently I deleted your friend request. Fat fingers.

[zainul]

You are welcome.
It is my pleasure.

[EMF]

The nature of Truth is a subjectivity based upon our own inter.... oh.... Hang on. I'm meant to do a review here. Sorry. Got caught up in the philosphical concept of the nature of truth there. But the poem... Yes. The poem. Hang on a bit while I go back and read it again......................... Long. Isn't it?................ And all the better for it. It's bloody good.
Not much of a review, from a certain perspective, but don't we all translate our perceptions in to both an internalisation and externalisation, based upon our .......

[Shelley Holt-Lowrey]

Always a good review -!are you kidding man. Do you not know by know what your opinion means to me?? Geesh! I must come by and suck up more..

[Dr. Wood ?]

I think you covered it as well as anyone could...Truth and belief are completely different entities...unless you are the believer