Back In The Shadows Poem by Lawrence S. Pertillar

Without truth to know to keep,
Spoken with an honest voice to speak it...
There can be no peace.
Or unity to believe.
Too many lives have survived,
On disguising lies to tell too long.
And judgements passed to criticize others,
Still goes on to prolong.

Back in the shadows,
Where comfort is found with those slick to trick...
People have become too familiar,
To stand in lines for handouts and approval to get.

More today say one thing to do another.
Yet can not take a step forward to claim,
A purpose with a meaning...
To identify and name.
More today live in communities they have divided.
With conflicts they have initiated to create,
To blame others for their self hate.
And yet expect protests to express,
A wish from others a respect to get.

And return they do,
Back to the shadows,
Where comfort is found with those slick to trick.
Unable to leave behind,
A standing in lines for an approval to get.

And return they do,
Without truth to know to keep.
Or spoken with honest voices,
To speak it amongst themselves to believe.

Back in the shadows,
Seeking a 'hit' to fix their addictions quick.
Back in the shadows,
And fearing truth to face...
As their own lives to live,
Become for them less significant.