Truth on the Chopping Block

 

 

The lawyer for the opposition

Approached the dock,

The one that sat there

He clearly intended to mock.

 

“State your name for the jury,”

He said with great disdain,

“And if it’s the truth you are speaking

Do kindly refrain.”

 

The judge on the bench

Laughed the loudest of all

To which the defendant shook his head

And then said with a drawl…

 

“I am Truth,” he said,

To the annoyance of the court.

“It appears you are a clown,”

Was the judge’s retort.

 

“I can hold you in contempt,”

He smugly replied.

“That I am the power in my court

Cannot be denied.

 

So, just state your name,

I don’t care what you do,

Or you won’t even know who you are

When all this is through.”

 

“Tell us your name,”

The opposing attorney said again,

To which the defendant replied,

Clearly under no strain…

 

“I am Truth,”

The defendant said once more,

“I am my name,

No need to get sore.

 

There was a time

When truth was recognized

But since you changed your laws

Truth has been denied.

 

You are not the first,

That Roman Governor was before:

Pilate was his name,

Need I say more?

 

 

Then Truth was crucified,

Ignorance reign supreme

And today the only difference is,

It is greater esteemed.”

 

“I am in charge here!”

Screamed the irritated judge,

“You will answer to what’s asked,

And don’t you dare budge!

 

“Continue, my colleague,”

He said to the opposing attorney,

“And do what you can, my friend

To shorten this journey.”

 

“Thank you, your honour,

I will see what I can do

To bring this matter to a finish

And give Truth his due.”

 

With this there was a snigger

All across the courtroom,

Whatever his name was

Would soon be doomed.

 

 

In the court of public opinion

Stood the defender of truth!

He himself was his only defense

He himself was his proof!

 

In a courtroom of lies

And full of dumb falsity

The truth is being relegated

To one of the many.

 

There is no absolute truth,

Just your truth and mine

And pretty soon, I would imagine,

Real truth would be unkind.

 

In fact, it already is

According to the law courts

And what used to be considered funny

Is no longer sport.

 

Truth has been sacrificed

On the altar of public opinion

And all of its staunch supporters

Are considered of the rebellion.

 

 

The battleground is defined:

It is the human mind

And from the garden of Eden

It was all that time.

 

Truth versus all else

That is, all except the truth,

And no exception to that rule

Even if there is proof.

 

A minority ruling

With the majority displaced

And the majority becoming the minority-

Oh, what a disgrace!

 

The new truth has come

That can be molded to everyone!

Live out the truth you feel

Now the old truth has gone!

 

Gender via genitals!

That is no longer the score!

Who says there are only two genders

When there are infinitely more?

 

It doesn’t have to be natural

Or even feel-so

As long as it is what I want

I can have a go.

 

And if at any time afterwards

I want to change back,

I am free to pull on my lever

And simply change track.

 

  

I can be male or a female

Whenever I feel

And this should be my right

Given my sex appeal.

 

Let the children decide too

But let the parents beware

What their penalty would be

If they dare interfere.

 

And if I feel like howling

Let me be a wolf

Or if bloodsucking be my craze

I can be a louse.

 

With this before us

Let us return to the courtroom

Where even though it is daytime

There is impending doom.

 

Impending doom because

Truth is on trial

And judge, jury and attorneys

Are in stark denial.

“So, your name is truth

And you are truth?

And all of us here are to believe

That you are the only proof?”

 

“Search your heart

If in deed you still have one

And you will surely discover

How you were born.

 

There is a woman and a man

That must have procreated

Or an egg and sperm

From which you migrated.

 

That is the truth

Of how you came to be

And I dare say even in your distorted mind

That truth you can see.

 

To abandon the truth

Is to jettison human life

Which requires a male and female;

More ideally, a man and his wife.

 

From this moment on

I will let you have your say,

In any case you will mute the truth

Beginning from today.

 

For truth is the light

That exposes all evil deeds

And no doubt you won’t want that

Given your vices and greed.”

 

The last words of Truth

And thereafter nary a word,

It was now up to judge and jury

Given all they had heard.

 

The verdict was swift

As is so often these days

Particularly when dealing with matters

Over which Truth holds sway.

 

The attorney closed his case

And then the judge summed up,

The jury retired thereafter

To determine Truth’s cup.

 

In less than five minutes

They were back in the courtroom

Unanimously agreeing

On what was to be Truth’s doom.

 

“What is your verdict?”

Ask the judge of the foreman

And at the foreman’s response

Only one was solemn.

 

“Guilty as charged,”

Came the jury foreman’s reply

As Truth wiped a saline liquid

Away from his eye.

  

This was the poisoned venom

Of the serpent’s kiss,

Truth was now condemned

To both legend and myth.

 

All that was needed now

Was for the sentenced to be read

And no doubt for these legal luminaries

Truth will be soon dead.

 

And so, the judge announced

To rapturous applause

“No more truth in our courtroom

And no more God!

 

From here it is gladiatorial war

And the best man wins,

Now there is no absolute truth

To judge immorality and sin.

 

You can now live as you like

But you must win every fight

And bear in mind my comrades,

That means might is your right.

 

 

Also remember the maxim,

“Be careful what you wish for”

For this day you have got it;

It is now all out war!

 

Truth on the chopping block

Means life denigrated,

If I live for only me,

You are not appreciated.

 

Stewart Russell © November 5, 2022