September 2, 2004
-
The Truther
All my life my father
Would lie to me.
He always lied to me,
But it wasn’t personal
He’d lie to my mother too.
Having no empathy,
I did not realise;
Nor would I believe
That my father could lie to me.
So I grew up believing
That the liar spoke the truth.
So I don’t tell lies,
Not lies that’ll hurt anyone,
Not lies that do not belong
Inside somebody’s heart.
The son of a liar
Should speak the truth.
And that is no lie.
—
Terry Cuthbert
Comments (49)
What spoils the comments you make in my blog is you say I say things that aren’t said. Not once have I ever said the United States is the only civilized country in this world. Not once, ever.
Love your poem by the way and that isn’t a lie.
I like the sarcasm I detect in your poem which gives it that extra dark shadow. I really liked the poem from yesterday about the woman begging in Paris. You are talented.
To say that the lack of empathy is a sign of aspergers autism is just putting a label on someone though you do refer to it here and in your previous posts on the mines of cornwall. I have see you excel at guessing what these emotions are, as you have taken numerous identities and given the world all your attempts to empathise with the rest of us in the form of these blogs and your published poems. For all this trying, I really take my hat off to you. Here’s Lord Pineapple!!!!
If this poem is true, and about your father, it is so sad. But great that you overcame it. Many children would follow in the parent’s footsteps. More power to you! Another thought-provoking message!
Well spoken. Some poems say what they mean, and that’s all and that’s sad because you can feel the two-dimensionalness. But yours, with your poems I always feel that hidden aspect, the implication, a very powerful unseen voice that gives your pieces depth.
~V
Someone said that truth will set you free,
but I’m afraid that someone was a liar.
I liked this poem. I am sorry if your father lied to you.
I know you must have had a good mother.
Dear Terry,
I sometimes don’t know what to make of all the “characters” in your universe, even though a lot of their poetry is excellent, but I really enjoy seeing poems written by “Terry Cuthbert” and this is one of them. Personal, involving, a tad humorous. Very nice.
Michael F. Nyiri, poet, philosopher,fool
My mother was a compulsive liar, too, and I, too, am afflicted with the exact opposite trait, which can be a bit of a problem all on its own. Your poem reads like a limmerick, a little, it must be the cadence, and the turning back into core of the poem with the last line…and that’s no lie!
The strangeness is that I feel niether cursed nor blessed…what will you do when you wake up? when you speak? when you falter or when you succeed? Majik is the intangible something that allowed you to do these things…the majik of a new day is that it is yours to do with as you please…and your roll of the cosmic dice has given it to you rather than taken it away…is that not majik to you?
It’s really not so much the subject matter, but the fact that the poems I read in those magazines don’t have any emotion, they don’t even keep your attention enough to make you want to look for any semblance of deeper meaning.
~V
I love when you get personal like here…connecting…
nice work Terry…
My son does that as well. As much as I love my hubby, he sometimes isn’t honest and I try and explain to nicholas and he doesn’t get it. Great piece!
my husband is so honest, he feels responsible if he does not say what he knows to be true.. he’s taught me to be more honest.. I was raised if you don’t have anything nice to say, say nothing at all.. that was much easier for me.. I respect honesty- it can heal
So I don’t tell lies,
Not lies that’ll hurt anyone,
Not lies that do not belong
Inside somebody’s heart.
being honest without being cruel - respecting a heart as you would your own seems to show empathy and fellow feeling
This piece is incredibly powerful… The simple statements without rancor make this truth one that you cannot escape from.
You say you have no empathy…then you must have a million hearts and souls in that mortal body of yours
as should the daughter of one…as far as the angel in the flask…I dare you…double dare…and as for the Purple King,that is novel material…I have him in my pocket now…and that’s NO LIE…blessings and healing to you Lord,beckon…Thistle King…more info?
a wonderful theme, wonderfully done.
Thank you…
How true…you mentioned on my site about being damaged about family….you really dont want to hear all the sorted details, but my childhood was extremely bad. I was up front about it with my husband when we became close and he stuck with me through all the bad times of me trying to work things out in my head. There were times that I would deliberatley try to hurt him or our relationship but he understood what I was going through and he stuck with me. I still have issues…but I am better able to manage them.
The final lines in this poem are food for thought.
This poem ewpresses well a big suffering inside you .
In friendship
Michel
It’s is sad that a lot of us have a life experience like that to teach us the value of honesty and the value of truth.
I loved the other poem too, really took me to that place.
You made the distinction of NEVER telling a lie and doing so only because it is necessary in some instances. If we always told the truth, it would have consequences we would not want to cause.
I particularly love the last three lines! One of our comedians (can’t remember who) said, “Always leave’em laughing!! Good for you, Terry!!!
I so agree. I was married to someone who lied constantly….when I discovered the extent of the lies I admit I was never the same again. Liars are now forbidden from my life!
i will check and see if thier is such a place and if so use. thanks for the info
My Dad was not a lier, but he did always tell me we would go camping or something similiar, yet never find time to go. It was sort of a lie, but not. He did lots of things with me, but not as many things as he led me to believe we would do.
Very nice poem Terry. I love when you are just Terry, you bring such thought. We many not see eye to eye, but in our disagreements we don’t have to become disagreeable to the point of insult. I appreciate your last comment. Thank you
some lies are necessary to spare the feelings of another, but the truth can set you free..you distinguish this well ” The son of a liar Should speak the truth.” my fav line
YOUR WEIRD
asshole!
ur poem is great blah blah blah i hate 2 talk im me later
visit mi xanga.ull get mi sn therew.ive got sum intrestin stuff on mi xanga 2 …
As always, you have hit a memory nerve. Thank you.
I hope your father wasn’t really a liar. i know my Dad sometimes told me a little white lie to save my feelings but to me he was the best Man i have ever met in my life. He brought my Brother and I up almost by himself most of the time ,yet he laughed and smiled a lot and he loved me. I was desolate when he died early from cancer ,the only thing that helped was that I had 4 young children to look after. I tried to down load a story i had published about him but it isn’t clear enough. One Day I might re type it. I also loved my Mother but she was often in Hospital and she and I would argue ,she died when I was 18. Cheers Marj
that’s so sad especially when the parent is supposed to be the example, i am sure you have been the example to your children and grandchildren, i applaude you for that:)
donna
I do like the Insight and Irony of your Poetry, Friend LordPineapple~I find your work very Earthy~You write of Tragedy and Pleasure~without trying to entirely explain it~Bittersweet~in many ways~which is Earth~at its’ core~
PostScript~I must extend to you my deepest appreciation for your recent recommendation. I visited the Address on Xanga and have decided that it was a Gift you bestowed in that moment, and I do thank-you very sincerely. I left a comment after your kind visit, but was not certain you would see it, so if I repeat myself, you must forgive me. Welcome always, Friend, no longer a Stranger~
Peace~
Dear Lord,
I really love this poem! The truth rocks more ways than anyone can imagine. That’s why I choose the truth; it’s more interesting.
Peace.
PS: I always wanted to start a comment on your site by writing dear lord. It just makes me laugh thinking about it.
I like that poem…and that’s no lie!
I don’t have a sister.
i guess living with a liar can help you seek truth
It is up to us to break the mold that has been going on for centuries…
nice peoem!
“You never find yourself until you face the truth.” i wish that your father could have realized this, and saved people from being hurt in the process
lies can glorify and destroy anything. …more powerful than any human ought to be.
kristie
That is definitely NO LIE, Terry! Thanks for the smile. Sorry I don’t know cricket, soccer or rugby enough to blog about them. I did comment on your comment though.
I value honesty, above all else. Good work.
“But it wasn’t personal He’d lie to my mother too” God, that is so sublime! I love the poetry. I thought that Stir of Echoes with Kevin Bacon was a much better movie than The Sixth Sense, though. There’s one scene that’s priceless, when Kevin Bacon gets pissed and kicks a bucket. It’s a hilarious scene (but not a funny movie)…I wonder how many takes they had to shoot to get it right.