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Now available for preorder:
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Of Bullshit.

BY JAY SNODGRASS

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 In the candlelight you asked: what is Truth?
 I said: search me, and so did jesting Pilate,
 Who, eyeing the bill, didn't stay for the answer.
 About this dinner we shared, the question, I am certain,
 Is what's bought, or, of earnestness, the matter
 Of who will pay, that, of all the substance, who will tell?

 Consider the performance of the dogs, the tell-
 Tale of bandy legs, the whimper from the truth
 Of canned meat. To a dog, what's et is the real matter.
 But you sit back and do your Pilates.
 Let hoopy circles of leg stretches be the certain
 Informed shield keeping you leanly from the answer,

 Hide in that banality you look for. Such an answer
 Might come too close. Panting, you can hardly tell,
 Can hardly part the restaurant's fish-patterned curtain
 Showing the fish-eating-fish dance of the truth.
 So as I coast down the steps, Pontius is my pilot,
 Putting a purple robe to the whole dark matter

 Of what's hidden, unseen, or credible matter.
 What scientists make of the hidden is an answer,
 Or just the fish garnish to the universe's plate
 Of astronomical circumlocuted kiss and tell.
 The main course on the menu of truth
 Is the starry serving stone of certainty

 Or some humongoloid error of circumference, a certain
 Earth weary yearning that makes the Bible matter. 
 I'm sure there's something so façade-d,—tell the truth: 
 Deep in the orchard there might not be a real answer—
 The substance, big stomach grumblings, might only tell
 Who's holding the stick, thwacking at cows, who's the pilot

 Steering the heard now, which wheel-mind pilots
 Us through the slimy creek rocks, or on through certain
 Disruptions, who breaks the holy dinner roll? It's hard to tell.
 The hoary wagging finger's fact of the matter
 Is we have to make up a sweet layer of answer, 
 See the only lie is an unhungry I-love-you truth

 Like Pilate's turn of the head answer to the matter.
 You'n'me, we're certain that the answer comes as it goes,
 Not handing out the real bank numbers for the truth. 

 

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