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The Avenue of Truth (poem)

By W. D. Ehrhart

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“Truth is a very peculiar avenue to walk along.”
- Pvt. Cartwell Gettig, 148th Pennsylvania Volunteers (from “The Small Man” by Serge Bielanko)

It certainly is. Just the other day,
while strolling along that avenue,
I was nearly run over by White House
Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt,
who accused me of being either
a Hamas terrorist, an illegal immigrant,
or a violent criminal. Or perhaps
all three. I barely managed to jump
out of the way as she blew by, traveling
at the speed of darkness, something
ugly and evil riding shotgun.

These days, in fact, you really need
to be on guard whenever you venture
out in public, the Avenue of Truth
being anywhere and everywhere
you dare to walk, and everywhere
controlled these days by shameless
liars who would just as soon leave you
bleeding in the street like roadkill
as ever admit they actually know
what truth is, but just don’t care,
so intoxicating the desire for power.

After all, dishonesty personified
occupies the Whitewash House,
which only goes to show that crime
does pay, and honesty is not
the best policy, no matter what
your mother tried to teach you.
But when she said you need to
look both ways before you cross
the street, I hope you were paying
attention because the liars are ever
and always eager to run you down.

—W. D. Ehrhart

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