I

lied

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

usual

place . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

usual

way . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

i

t

h

–

–

–

the

usual

shame . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

lied

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

told

.

y

o

u

.

I

.

would

change . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

that

I

.

.

would

find

.

a

way

.

t

o

.

not

be

.

t

h

e

.

same . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

~ I

would

–

–

find

a

way . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

~ I

would

–

–

find

a

way . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

o

–

–

–

change . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

–

–

–

the

vibrant

–

–

color

parades

–

–

which

remain

.

s

o

.

full

.

o

f

.

hope

–

–

throughout

.

t

h

e

.

days,

–

–

always

seem

.

t

o

.

bathe

.

i

n

.

the

shade . . .

–

–

–

.

.

~ they

always

–

–

seem

.

t

o

.

bathe

.

i

n

.

the
shade

.

o

f

.

watercolor

rain . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

by

.

t

h

e

.

time

.

.

I

awake

.

t

o

.

daybreak . . .

–

–

–

.

.

~ yes,

by

.

t

h

e

.

time

I

awake . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

find

–

–

myself

unchanged . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

rearranged . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

in

the

.

s

a

m

e

.

place

again . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

swimming

.

i

n

.

the

gray . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

swimming

.

i

n

.

the

gray . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

even

though

.

m

y

.

life

–

–

might

seem

.

t

o

.

only

.

b

e

.

drifting . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

well,

.

a

t

.

least

I’m

.

s

t

i

l

l

.

swimming . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

~ at

least

–

–

I’m

.

s

t

i

l

l

.

swimming . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

I

lied

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

lied

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

lied

today . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

usual

place . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

usual

way . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

i

t

h

–

–

–

the

usual

shame . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

lied

today.

Reflection: This was a popular personal struggle-themed poem I wrote back in December of 2019. The opening line: “I lied today… in the usual place… in the usual way…” came to me in the beginning moments and the poem wrote itself from that opening line. I’m sure many who have dealt with significant personal struggles – their own or those of people close to them – will be able to relate to this poem.

I played the song “Why” by Annie Lennox in the background at low volume to create the “moodset” for this poem. The song really seemed to fit. If you listen to the song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.