Paul Hartal
By Act of Legislation
Once upon a time
In a faraway country
The people of the Province of Falsity
Spoke only truth
Whereas those who lived
In the Province of Truth
Spoke only falsity.
In both provinces
The people sang
Their national anthem in chorus:
If we are lying
We are telling the truth
But if we are telling the truth
We are lying.
Little wonder
People got confused there
And they remained confused
For a long time
Until one day the Prince
Decided to interfere.
So he ordered the Parliament
To legislate a new law
A new law that solved the problem
And simply abolished the difference
Between truth and falsity.
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I love the chaos and the double meanings in this poem. Could you imagine, if the entire world was like this? It'd be terrible!