“Truth” by Leroy V. Quintana

 
 
 
“Truth”
 
 
 
Leroy V. Quintana
 
 
Mine has always been a silent world.
So words have not been easy.
And words have been easy.
As easy as words.
As another lie; oh, I have lied.
And I have denied.
And then denied that I denied.
I have invented myself so many times
so that others would believe I was who they thought
I was, and I suppose, so that I, too, would believe.
And also for no particular reason.
Oh, I have lied.
And that is the truth.
 
 
 
            [From the anthology What Have You Lost?, Naomi Shihab Nye, ed.]
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
***
 
 
 
 

~ by samofthetenthousandthings on June 22, 2020.