Thursday, October 16, 2008
"Truth and Falsehood"
From The Poetical Works of Susannah Hawkins:
Truth and Falsehood
I WALKED one evening on a bank,
While musing in my mind,
I saw Envy spring from a bush,
With Falsehood him behind;
And Cruelty at his right hand,
With bow and arrow keen,
But Falsehood walked behind their back,
Her weapon was not seen.
Envy had armed his spouse and son,
With weapons most severe,
Gave Cruelty a bow and dart,
And Falsehood a sharp spear.
In a deep vale these three met Truth,
And wounded him full sore;
Falsehood put on Truth's graceful cloak,
Then she did walk before.
These tyrants three, did meet a man,
Of them he dread no ill;
He never knew they did intend,
That moment him to kill.
Falsehood, below the cloak of Truth,
Her fatal spear did hide,
Then she did come behind his back,
And wound him in the side;
Then Cruelty he drew his bow,
And wounded him again,
Then Envy greatly did rejoice,
To see his grief and pain.
Long and full sore his wounds did bleed,
Much pain did undergo;
By them he sore afflicted was,
While Truth was lying low.
For in below the cloak of Truth,
These tyrants did remain;
Time after time they wounded him,
Till Truth revived again.
When Truth revived, she was well armed,
And unto them drew nigh,
She took from them her graceful cloak,
Then they away did fly.
Labels: art and literature, critical thinking, poetry, Susannah Hawkins
