If you drew

TRUTH

today

how would she look?

Would she be beautiful and crowned? Red lips and rosy cheeks, white skin and jeweled hands? – a princess of the realm?

Would she be scowling, furious and militant, with swords upon her belt and knives inside her shoes?

Would she shake the earth
as awesome as an army with its banners?
Or does she lie jellied, purple-bloody underfoot?

Would she look gently?
Would she look sternly?

Would she look at You – squarely –

Or would she look at Them?

Does she wear your collar round her neck,
does she play fetch
and come to heel
for you?

Would you run
toward
her
in welcome?

Or would you throw
up your hands
against her blaze
of intolerable
unending
and
unraveling
light

and
fall
upon
your
face?