Red Flag
Using poison to kill a poison
has a lasting side-effect
The body is never the same
A lie like laughter
is the same in every language
but it’s deadly in the end
The butterfly doesn’t recognize
the pupa as itself
It doesn’t see denial
changing to normal
and then to conformity
But it’s clumsy when it flies
with the burden of a lie
with a telltale jagged fray
that gives itself away
A red-flagged house of cards
elaborately flawed
can’t hold the weight
of its own disgrace
won’t stand the test of time
_Colleen Redman / Poets United / Imaginary Garden with Real Toads
February 5th, 2017 1:05 pm
This is real wisdom. Loved it, Colleen.
February 5th, 2017 1:48 pm
When poison is battled with poison, corruption is unavoidable. In a way, that which we were trying to save ends up lost.
Complex, timely and true.
February 5th, 2017 1:50 pm
Well said. Since a dear friend is undergoing chemo, the first paragraph spoke to me. Well written, my friend!
February 5th, 2017 1:55 pm
Wonderfully deep!
February 5th, 2017 3:06 pm
There seem to be so many red flags in the house of cards at the moment.
February 5th, 2017 5:00 pm
“can’t hold the weight
of its own disgrace”–so poignantly descriptive and true.
February 5th, 2017 6:44 pm
I like the visual of a butterfly awkwardly flying because of the lie it holds secret. I enjoyed it. Thanks.
February 5th, 2017 7:36 pm
So much depth to this Colleen–
February 5th, 2017 9:13 pm
But it’s clumsy when it flies
with the burden of a lie
with a telltale jagged fray
that gives itself away… wonderfully written and so true.
February 6th, 2017 3:18 am
I would like to make huge posters of this poem and emblazon them wherever they would be widely visible!
February 6th, 2017 12:09 pm
From poison to the lies and the red flag, your poem leads the reader to the heart of the problem.
February 7th, 2017 2:06 am
can’t hold the weight
of its own disgrace
Obviously lies will not be left at face value and forgotten. It will be dogged by its own consequence and will be discovered and somebody has to pay for it!
Hank
February 7th, 2017 4:29 pm
I really hope that lies will bring the false gods down… love this Colleen.
February 8th, 2017 3:06 am
some lies keep, and others keep liars. but keeps eventually will fall, won’t they? ~
February 8th, 2017 7:03 am
Somehow the rhyming in that second-to-last stanza makes this all the more powerful for me.
February 8th, 2017 3:43 pm
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