2018 – 6th Grade National 2nd Place Winner

Ryan Chan, New York.



I am Truth                                            I am Deceit
Everyone seeks me                               Everyone eventually seeks me
I will always be there                             I will always be there
like the sun that burns in the sky
I hide behind the clouds,
but I reemerge with honesty
Ready to expose deceit                          I hide the truth
                                                            I am the cloud that
                                                            blocks out the sun
                                                            temporarily

                                                            I come in many disguises
                                                            to draw you near
                                                            with half truths, white lies,
                                                            omissions, and manipulations
                                                            Providing a different path
                                                            a temporary way out
Even though I am always
truthful and accurate,
I am ignored, twisted,
and manipulated
Eventually I evolve                               Eventually I evolve
into nightmares                                    into nightmares
that are hard to overcome                     that are hard to overcome

I may be hard to accept in some cases
but welcomed in others
I can change people’s lives                     I can change people’s lives
with one fact                                         with one falsehood

                                                             I can save people from
                                                             being dismantled by the truth
                                                             providing a key to their dreamland,
                                                             a beautiful illusion
                                                             That’s why I am a better option that truth
I dismantle deception
as a punishment for twisting me up
I break hearts
shattering hopes and dreams
I am the salt added to wounds


Can’t people see that I only
give initial pain?
Deceit creates distrust in families,
friendships, societies and in elections
The election promotes one person
lying to another to get their way
Giving a negative influence to
kids around the world
I am a much better choice
                                                             Unable to tell the difference between
                                                             the truth and me,
                                                             I hack my way into minds
                                                             offering promises I never intend to keep
                                                             feeding obsessions
                                                             My will stretches for miles and miles

But in the end                                        But in the end
I witness your fall                                   I witness your fall
and watch you break                              and watch you break
but I will be there
as the right path
a constant
waiting in the wings
to mend your sorrows
                                                              I turn and walk away
                                                              My deceit is complete
                                                              The illusion is shattered
                                                              leaving crushed dreams
                                                              and broken relationships in my wake
                                                              but the bitter truth remains
                                                              while I leave a bigger stain on society.


 

 



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