A lie told once remains a lie, but a lie told
a thousand times becomes the truth.
– Joseph Goebbels, Minister of Propaganda, Nazi Germany
Remove yourself.
Go outside alone.
Find a flowerbed,
some earth to turn
with your hands.
See history fall
between your fingers:
old leaves and roots,
bugs and worms—
this is truth.
Out here,
we watch money
come and go,
but a man’s word
is all he is,
his handshake bond—
once broken
not depended on,
of little use.
Twice broken
he is scorned,
ostracized and ignored.
Life must be too easy
to entertain deceit
on stage, to play
make-believe
with humanity.
Out here, we know
the ending—
but not what happens
in-between.
for Leonard Durso
drycrikjournal 
Another of your best, John! Said so poignantly, powerfully and simply.
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Thanks, Louise. Since grammar school, I’ve mistakenly attributed the quote to Hitler, and only this a.m. on Leonard Durso’s blog, did I realize its true author, inspiring me to try to find some perspective on the angst that envelops us all.
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Feeling this one. Time to hang with the worms. Thanks, Dad.
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Timely words worth sharing.
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This is perfect. I am probably going to drive myself mad doing as much as possible to learn and speak out, march and protest…but sitting still, being still is not an option.
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Bravo, John. He will be worm-fodder one day too and someone else’s hands will dig in his fallen dirt. Lets hope he doesn’t contaminate the earth in the meantime.
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Here in Red Tulare County it takes some courage to say this openly to friends and neighbors who are so completely in denial. We must keep the purveyors of “alternative facts” feet in the fire as long as they continue to spread the garbage.
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Red or not, John, in this small community, we all grew up with the ethic that a man’s word was worth more than anything else, that talk was cheap–a solid ethic that should ultimately supersede our political views and emotions.
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John, well said and unfortunately not what is the standard in Washington, DC
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Beautiful, powerful words. “See history fall between your fingers: oid leaves and roots, bugs and worms–this is truth.” Thanks for sharing, John.
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You kicked it along, Leonard. Thank you.
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I am a day behind. What you had to say parallels what Jeffers said. Truth is hard to come by and harder to identify these days.
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Brilliant writing here, John, and prophetic! We live in frightening times! I need to find some earth to dig up . . .
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The Drycrikjournal site spontaneously came up on my google page in the airport on my way back to Albuquerque from Elko. I had just read a poem about the Syrian refugees in Greece that my Mark sent me in the middle of the gathering. I could not bear to read it then. It it seems more suitable to read it here. Then your poem popped up. Whew. Perfect timing. I love the new work. I loved seeing you and Robin in Elko. I also love watching us all age together, more or less gracefully. Sending big hugs. Marla Painter
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Reblogged this on drycrikjournal.
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