KEN WHITE

LEGAL AND BINDING

Because the agreement was binding
to every dotted i, it became legal to lie.
At first this seemed bearable, after all,
the lies benefitted him and allowed
others to continue to think more of him,
though he was less than that.
Soon the lies became animated.
Some put on clothes and walked the house at night,
looking at themselves in the mirror.
One lie was especially fond of his only bow tie
and since he never learned to tie it,
the lie was extremely proud of the shape,
and the subtle red paisley of the cloth.
But when the lies began booking flights
to places he had never gone,
and came back with pictures of wild animals
taken on safari—a leopard chasing migrating
wildebeest, and a pride of lions lounging—
he knew he was in trouble.
They overran the house,
streaming out windows,
calling out to neighbors,
like town criers of olde.
Then the lies poured into the street,
each gaudily dressed,
singing Hallelujah and Amen,
wearing party hats and waving their noise makers.
They marched together, joining another band of lies,
until a giant parade formed. On to the sea
they progressed until they stood, all of them,
on the shore. Then, one by one, they plowed forward,
drowning themselves in the deep.