When hitchhiking, inevitably tasked
with answers to ‘Where from?’ and ‘Origin?’
I lie to simplify the tales I’d spin
if my odd background really were unmasked.
(The childhood travels, seas in which I’ve basked;
prep school: Jamaica. Teen years schooling in
a former English palace, slept where Queen
Victoria stayed…) because then I’d be asked:
‘Why hitchhike? Spoiled kid! Don’t lie! Get out!’
Therefore of course I have to cut some slack
for other people with their bogus tales:
big boasters may have nothing to boast about,
while quiet ones may not want to go back,
whether to jobs or spouses, wars or jails.
*****
I thought I’d pair this with Marion Shore’s reflection on lies, which I republished here in the previous post. The issue of deliberate lies is unresolved for me, along with so many other things. But at least I (rarely) lie about my confused background any longer – I just mention bits that seem relevant in the context.
‘Why I Lie’ was first published in the Sonnet Scroll of the Poetry Porch.
“Both the truth and lies can get you in trouble” by duncan cumming is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.
Form in Formless Times 
Your model then is Odysseus (better known as oudeis or outis – i.e. ‘nobody’ – at least to blind Polyphemus) who always told different stories to people who gave him lifts… but then he was protected by Athene, whom I once described as ‘Athene with the owl-grey eyes/ Goddess of Truth (and small white lies)’ and is described as ‘polytropos’… the man of many tropes… (perhaps!) Thank you for a smashing poem.
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