The profound Wisdom of a Fortune Cookie

This Senryu speaks to the misinformation which plagues societies as we speak. It is incumbent on us to educate ourselves from this vile disease of lies. That is our only cure.

The Profound Wisdom of a Fortune Cookie

By

Carlos Lorenzo Estrada 

"A truth that's told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent." -William Blake

Truth is absolute

Perspective is biased thought

Alternative lies...

Author's Note

I wrote this after eating at Panda Express and cracking open a fortune cookie after. Now, I know that Panda Express really isn't considered authentic Chinese Food, but hey, it's like two blocks away from my place and I'm too damn lazy to drive further into the city. The actual message in the fortune cookie was a bit disappointing. Something about achieving great wealth soon...Yada, Yada, Yada. So I thought about why not a clever quip on alternative facts. And so once more birthed from my mind uterus I give you this senryu made from love, hope, and a bit of Panda Express. PS, on a side note due to some of the recent trolling on the website I decided to remove the rating from my submissions moving forward. Thank you for reading and any discussion of this poem is welcomed.

Reviews

[Marina]

Well, I hate the taste of fortune cookies and the fortunes told within are simplistic at best. You would probably get the same advice from a crooked fortune teller. At least the Chinese meal was nice! So thumbs up for that! 💛

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you, Marina, for your comment. For once I would like to open up a fortune cookie and read truth from it like something saying...you have 3 days left to live, so use your time wisely. Now that would be an awesome fortune cookie hahaha.

[Paul Bell]

What's that great saying. '' THE TRUTH IS PROTECTED BY A BODYGUARD OF LIES.''
I'm with the fortune cookie, the waitress smiled when she gave it to me.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you, Paul, for your insightful comment on truth. I wish the world was filled with fortune cookies which echoed these beliefs.

[mattavelli]

Hello, Carlos! :)
I agree with your first line, truth is absolutely in the eye of the beholder. I mean, it really speaks to me on a spiritual level. :p
I watched the Conway hag spew. She has a way with morons.
I'm a troll on Facebook, sort of. I used to go to the fox News page, and on every posting, I'd comment, "Impeach the orange". It was fun. Now, I'm in a group called Science Humour, and whenever I like a post there, I comment, "How is this science humor?", and they stomp on me. Its a lot of fun. There are a lot of frustrated people out there; which I think may be partially due to sodium intake.
Its weird how we sometimes see what we want to see. Maybe focus gives something like momentum to our thoughts, and lack of focus is just our thoughts carrying on without us. I do feel mindless sometimes. Sometimes, I'll read something, then go back, and the words are a bit different than I remember.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Exactly my point, Matt. Truth is undeniable but belief malleable. Because we are fallible, imperfect, biased by our individualism and how it is shaped by our education and belief system, morality. It's why some people are capable of seeing the exact same thing as I but come out of the event believing in something else from it. Our idealism and self defined morality makes us biased. As example throwing a child into a cage, I would see this as reprehensible vile and inhumane, while others would argue it is a patriotic duty, they are not children but illegals, and who cares they're not your kids. Who is morale or righteous under the circumstances, and as counter, who is more patriotic. Both see a child in a cage but make different assessments on the situation. Though I must admit my friend I have not had any sodium as of yet this morning so my judgment may be cloudy hahaha. I should preface this by saying I'm not the moral arbiter of all things in life. I am imperfect, hell I like porn, and no one should ever think I believe I am special in any way. Even though I was conceived by immaculate birth on the hillbilly sabbath and have ascended spiritually to Nirvana via my subscription to watch tower magazine. I am still imperfect I'm sorry to admit. I only act perfect hahaha.

[mattavelli]

Pervert...

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

From you, I shall wear it as a badge of honor hahaha. Thank you my friend.

[Lorry]

Perspective is not just how we look at things, but placing ourselves in the other perspectives shoes, feeling and being without judgement. If we need to judge after that, then maybe we were in the wrong shoes all along.
An excellent use of shorter form poetry to say more than the sum of its parts.

[Kent Rawski]

If you wonder what wonder is are you duplicitous

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

Thank you for reading and commenting on this work, Kent. Now your question would make a very good Senryu in itself. If wonder has no attachment to it and is simply an aspiring admiration for its idea then I would perhaps see it as virtue. But if it's a wonderment for an object of duplicitous intent then it would be a vice. I enjoy conversations that ask of us profound thought provoking questions, my friend. Thank you again for sharing of your ideas.

[John the Baptist]

I think you can find more truth in one fortune cookie than in a hundred conspiracy theories.

[Carlos Lorenzo Estrada]

I totally agree with you on this comment. I wish the world was filled with fortune cookies, we would be the wiser for it. Thank you, John. For your thoughts.