Deceived

                          Deceived

Modern poetry modern verse contemporary poetry contemporary verse modern poem contemporary poem 

Long past, when souls were young, yes, even souls

And never mind our bodies, packaged truth

Was taught to us in Bible class.  Controls

Extruded from the old imposed on youth

Felt “like unto” Iron Maiden’s courting.  Hate

Is what they wanted us to think was love.

They served their prejudices on a plate

Of stunted prophecy.  Their love was shove.

Perhaps their propaganda kept them from

Perceiving facts surrounding them like light.

For them the truths they swallowed made them numb

To understanding human beings’ plight.

  What mattered was the sins these men perceived

    And this explains why they looked hexed, aggrieved.

Phillip Whidden