Raw Earth Ink
spit, mixed with dirt – muddy words flow
Truth or Lies
Keep quiet, he threatened
And so I silenced
Don’t make him angry, she warned
And so I behaved
Stop crying, she screamed
And so I concealed
Stupid bitch, she uttered
And so I believed
Not worth it, he spat
And so I endeavored
Why couldn’t you be, she urged
And so I coveted
Don’t make waves, she cautioned
And so I stifled
Not quite enough, he declared
And so I dissembled
What a mistake, he whispered
And so I shielded
But as I toiled away my days
not being good enough
not aligning to exacting expectations
hiding abuse and
longing for something better
Another quietly stole into my heart
You’re beautiful, he repeated
And so I rejected
You’re special, he insisted
And so I doubted
You’re wanted, he asserted
And so I faltered
You’re loved, he confessed
And so I … didn’t … know what to do
tara caribou | ©2020
41 Comments on “Truth or Lies”
Raw Earth Ink 
Brilliantly crafted – and so very, very true
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Thank you.
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Love the story line
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Thanks so much.
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Powerful compelling !!
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Thank you!
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❤
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Not easy to convince her otherwise after all that.
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Seems to be the case.
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Too bad for her
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Oh how I love this! Well done XOXO.
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Thanks Tessa. That means a lot to me. 💕
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why is it so much easier to believe the bad stuff than the good stuff?
❤
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Perhaps because the bad is repeated over and over and over and, for me, makes sense. It’s obviously based in some fact, otherwise why do I hear it so much? The good is rarer.
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Maybe you need a new way of listening?
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Like hearing aids?
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Whatever it takes
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You’re too funny.
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Clever, innocent, depressed, so sad.
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Thank you Phil.
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Such a powerful universal message – abuse can leave such jagged scars of doubt and denial in our own self-worth. So much conveyed in such simple flowing lines. Haunting and true.
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Yes, it’s true, my friend. May we learn to discern the truth from the lies.
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Such a powerful message through a sad story. The issue is such stories have become pretty common in today’s world.
Loved the poem.
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Unfortunately, yes. May love rule our actions, rather than other’s opinions.
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All too often it is the negative reactions from our formative years that bear the strongest influence on our lives, although I do think that there is some genetic predisposition to self-doubt/introspective over-analsis/lack of self-belief that we can never escape. The same, I am sure, is true for those who are raised on praise and encouragement – if that nagging doubt is there, one will never break free. Very well expressed in this poem, Tara.
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Yes! That’s just it, isn’t it, Chris. But this is one reason why I think it’s important to speak the truth always to others. To help overcome those negative or darker beliefs. And to keep saying those things.
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Exactly, and it begins with oneself
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Very poignant. This beautifully captures how a lot of us are more willing to believe and hold onto the bad things people say about us even when someone is telling us the good.
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Yes! That’s it, Chela. Still, I think we should keep saying those things to the ones we love. Because maybe then those walls built with lies will begin to crumble.
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Very true. Maybe it’ll even help them get away from future people that will try to tear them down.
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Tara. You have perfectly and so poetically described the damage that words can have…. they enter into our psyche until they are internalized and virtually irrefutable. They make us uncertain in ourselves and in the face of love and intimacy. Your concluding lines…. perfect and heartbreaking all at once. I love this, it’s truth and beauty and rawness. It resonates deeply.
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May Love and Light shine into the darkness and reveal the Truth!! (I’ll keep telling myself that in hopes that one day, I too will see and believe…)
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You know, I hope love and light can reveal truth Tara. So much. Your writing never fails to touch my heart.
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That’s exactly how I feel about YOUR writing! All the feelings….
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♥️
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What is it about some people that we choose to believe them no matter what they say while we refuse to listen to others? Why is it so easy to accept the negative about ourselves but the positive not so much? Why do we listen to others more than ourselves?
Perfectly expressed, Tara.
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ohmygosh, yes, Goldie! It sure seems that way so very often. May we keep speaking truth to one another!!
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Amazing how words can destroy self-confidence and worth. Very sad!! A well written poem!
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Absolutely. We must always carefully choose our words.
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Even more with children!
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I agree totally
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