Thank you to Mark Antony Rossi of Ariel Chart for publishing this piece.

https://www.arielchart.com/2022/01/lines-people-use.html?showComment=1641947905857#c7166588220743652793

Lines People Use

 

They dip their pens in vitriol,

and let colors seep from the truth,

behind gray,

and past little white lies. 

“Did you know that …..”

 

It’s harder to remember yesterday’s stories as told by mouths. 

They stand,

careless with the large,

careless with the small,

doing their consistent worst.

“Here’s what I heard!”

 

Then, so soon comes the twilight,

bringing dark nights of trouble.

What splendor hangs in the air,

above where the wounded fell, 

whose peace was robbed by those 

who cause dark clouds and sorrow.

“It’s his/her own fault!”

 

Along trails of tales,

where secrets,

real or phony,

and the blood of others is spilled.

“Somebody said…..”

 

Beyond compass of all thought, 

each link in the chain, 

entrusted without merit,

using the latest tell,

“If it’s true!”

 

Like a spreading maple,

let it grow, let it grow.

 

Announcers of fakery,

Broadcasting with technology,

spuriously praised 

for each tapped key on the board.

“You didn’t hear this from me, but……”