Friday, 19 February 2016

Looking the World in the Eye


How many of us can say, hand on heart, that we have never told a lie? True, some lies are for the greater good; others, though, have a way at eating away at us.

They say you can tell if a person is lying by looking them directly in the eye. Perhaps, but even more so, in my personal experience, if that same person, once challenged by word or glance, looks away before we can test the theory for ourselves; it is a useful tip for those of us who think we may have found someone to love while, in truth, they are only looking for sex.

Don’t get me wrong. I am not knocking sex, but there is more to life, and love cannot survive on sex alone.  Man or woman, gay, straight or transgender, it makes no difference. We are all vulnerable when it comes to love.  Who doesn’t have a tale to tell about someone suspecting they may well have a one-way ticket to love while doing a damn good job of convincing themselves otherwise?  Invariably, though, the eyes have it, and truth will out.

What’s that? Oh, dear me, no. I’m not knocking truth either. Truth is one of the few forces in life that can turn a negative into a positive, weakness into strength, even if it is often inclined to take its time in doing so…

This poem is a villanelle.

 LOOKING THE WORLD IN THE EYE

Life can hurt, make us cry,
even lead us astray…
(Worse, if buried in a lie)

When love begs give it a try,
do we look away?
Life can hurt, make us cry

Once love asks reasons why,
it fades away…
(Worse, if buried in a lie)

Yes, we look folks in the eye
and say, “I’m gay.”
Life can hurt, make us cry

Cave in to history, let it deny
and drain us away?
(Worse, if buried in a lie)

Once we look love in the eye,
we win the day;
life can hurt, make us cry
(worse, if buried in a lie)


Copyright R. N. Taber 2008

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