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Lying is a part of the human experience!
Poetry has long been used to explore its many nuances. Poems about lying can be funny, poignant, or heartbreaking, and they offer valuable lessons about the consequences of dishonesty.
From famous poems to ones for children, these poems about lying teach us to be truthful and remind us of the importance of trust in our relationships.
Shall we look into some poems about lies?
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Famous Poems about Lying
Many famous poets have explored the theme of lying in their works. These famous lying poems offer a timeless reflection on the consequences of dishonesty.
1. Why Children Lie
by Anonymous
Confrontation is something other people do
I will lie my way into a corner and beyond the veil
So I do not have to have an altercation with anyone
I cannot fathom bickering or arguing
My parents taught me the value of silent disapproval
Wearing a pasted weirdo Cheshire Cat smile
You would rather lie than tell the truth, my husbands have said.
I have had six of them, and they were not wrong.
Why can’t you just say it like it happened?
Truthfully, I have been fabricating so long, I do not know the truth.
Truth could jump up and bite a giant hole in my cheek.
Yes, that cheek, and I would still lie.
I learned to lie as a young child,
because I knew that lying might be a way out of a belt whipping.
There is a book called “Why Children Lie.”
We learn to lie if the punishments are too severe,
and we know telling the truth will be painful.
Spoiler alert. I have only had one husband, but I lie.
2. Lies
by Caleb Jackson
Walking down the path of love, I’ve experienced many feelings.
Feelings like a heartbeat skipping when I saw a simple twinkle in your eyes.
Every time I was with you, I could hear bells ring.
It was great, I enjoyed every moment with you. You said you did too, but it was a lie.
I put in the effort to be the best man for you, I wanted to see you smile.
I gave my heart to you, in hopes you would keep that in mind.
You said you loved me too, those words kept me happy for a while.
You said that you cared about me, that you would love me no matter what, but you lied.
You told me that every time you said “I love you” you meant it more.
You said that if I died, you would weep and cry.
You said to me that you loved me, but you threw me out the door.
Did you really mean everything you told me? All you did was lie.
Now, you don’t even want to think of me anymore.
You said many things to me, but they were lies.
I was walking down a road of thorns, for a flower that would never bloom.
I was really always loving alone, wasn’t I?
3. Taking Out Lies
by Jane Doe
When I was a little girl an didn’t know better,
My family would always say I’m telling lies,
What no one knew was I was telling the truth,
My parents lies verses my truth well,
Who do you think the doctors believed,
I couldn’t say the truth about how I felt,
So I started lying thing it was ok to hid my feelings,
Now it’s your truth verses my lies in my heart,
No one knows that I lie to myself now at days,
They all really think that I’m ok,
But when his lies came to play,
I couldn’t take hiding these feelings in my heart anymore,
So slowly here I am under these lies,
Trying to hold them back with the truth,
But now I can’t take the lies verses truth,
I’m going to show the truth an take out the lies!.
4. Of Lies and Deceit
by Persian Khushi
Words that break down
Life changing decisions
Haunting daily
A life on hold
Why the truth untold
For whose benefit?
Who decided?
But life continues
With memories haunting
When sleep won’t come
And early rays of the sun appear
So the memories fade they say
More lies
For one learns to live
With these memories
Of lies and deceit
5. Truth and Lies
by Louise Witwit
When explanations are hard to produce
Lie after lie comes shining through
Truth gets locked away
For reasons only known to yourself
Truth may hurt
but the lie hurts more
one lie to cover another
what was the first lie
can you remember?
So much hurt and
too many lies
whats the truth
will I ever know
can I ever separate the two?
6. When the Lie Becomes the Truth
by Anonymous
Every lie you say
Is true in some way
If I say my favorite color’s blue
Then it’s true to you
If I said there was a square moon
And you were blind to the truth
It would still be somewhat true
If I say I am quiet
Or I say I am loud
then both would be true
Because I’d still make a sound
If I was a lot
Or if I was not
It wouldn’t matter as such
Because both would be too much
If I am being honest
Sometimes I like the color blue
Sometimes I think there is a square moon
Sometimes I am quiet
Sometimes I am loud
If one day you lie
Try not to deny
All lies are true
But maybe not to you
7. Lies
by Stanley Naber
Lies hurt more
than the truth
why do I live
in self-pity
and expect disappointment
more than optimism
or does enjoyment
lead me to new
worlds which I cannot
live on
the air is getting
thin and I want to
stay for some time
too bad I cannot
live in my dreams
for then utopia would be
reached wouldn’t it
8. Phenomenal Woman
by Maya Angelou
Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I’m not cute or built to suit a fashion model’s size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I’m telling lies.
I say,
It’s in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I’m a woman
phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
that’s me.
I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It’s the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I’m a woman
phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
that’s me.
Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can’t touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can’t see.
I say,
It’s in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I’m a woman
phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
that’s me.
Now you understand
Just why my head’s not bowed.
I don’t shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It’s in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
‘Cause I’m a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
that’s me.
9. A Soldier
by Robert Frost
He is that fallen lance that lies as hurled,
That lies unlifted now, come dew, come rust,
But still lies pointed as it plowed the dust.
If we who sight along it round the world,
See nothing worthy to have been its mark,
It is because like men we look too near,
Forgetting that as fitted to the sphere,
Our missiles always make too short an arc.
They fall, they rip the grass, they intersect
The curve of earth, and striking, break their own;
They make us cringe for metal-point on stone.
But this we know, the obstacle that checked
And tripped the body, shot the spirit on
Further than target ever showed or shone.
10. A Dream Lies Dead
by Dorothy Parker
A dream lies dead here. May you softly go
Before this place, and turn away your eyes,
Nor seek to know the look of that which dies
Importuning Life for life. Walk not in woe,
But, for a little, let your step be slow.
And, of your mercy, be not sweetly wise
With words of hope and Spring and tenderer skies.
A dream lies dead; and this all mourners know:
Whenever one drifted petal leaves the tree-
Though white of bloom as it had been before
And proudly waitful of fecundity-
One little loveliness can be no more;
And so must Beauty bow her imperfect head
Because a dream has joined the wistful dead!
Funny Poems about Lying
Humor is a great way to approach the topic of lying. These interesting poems about lying use wit and clever wordplay to explore the foibles of liars and the absurdity of their lies.
1. Un-Truth (Your Lies)
by Anonymous
To tell a lie,
You must forsake the truth.
To believe a lie,
You must ignore the truth.
But when a lie,
Becomes the truth,
And a lie,
Consumes the truth,
You have nothing but the lie,
And you have nothing left of truth.
So when all you do is lie,
All you have is the un-truth.
–
So tell me dear,
Why do you lie?
I have a fear,
That you will cry.
For a web of lies you spin,
And you’re so tangled in that mess.
All because of that lie you did begin,
And now the truth, I must guess.
But now you live as though the lie,
Had become the truth.
And no, you will not try,
To fix your un-truth.
The path that lay before you,
Is not one I would choose.
For every lie you tell, you must do,
Something that will surely make you lose.
For one lie leads to another,
And there is no end in that cycle.
Lying to your father and your mother.
All these un-truths you do recycle.
So tell me dear,
What makes you lie?
I cannot hold you near,
Or I will cry.
2. Lying in Me
by Anna Akhmatova
Lying in me, as though it were a white
Stone in the depths of a well, is one
Memory that I cannot, will not, fight:
It is happiness, and it is pain.
Anyone looking straight into my eyes
Could not help seeing it, and could not fail
To become thoughtful, more sad and quiet
Than if he were listening to some tragic tale.
I know the gods changed people into things,
Leaving their consciousness alive and free.
To keep alive the wonder of suffering,
You have been metamorphosed into me.
3. The Little Doll that Lied
by Sarah Orne Jewett
Why, Polly! What’s the matter, dear?
You look so very sad:
Has your new doll been taken ill?
It cannot be so bad!”
Nine of the dolls sit in a row,
But there is one beside—
See in the corner, upside-down,
The little doll that lied!
Out in the corner, all alone,
The wicked doll must stay!
None of the rest must speak to her,
Or look there while they play.
All her best clothes, except her boots,
Are safely put aside
(Her boots are painted on her feet)—
The little doll that lied!
Oh, lying’s such a naughty thing!
Why, she might swear and steal.
Or murder someone, I dare say;
Just think how we should feel
To have her in a prison live,
Or, worse than that, be hung!
What won’t she do when she is old,
If she did this so young?
And now the silver mug and spoon
Come into use again,
And down the faces of the dolls
The tears run fast as rain.
Three have tipped over in their grief,
Their tears cannot be dried;
Their handkerchiefs are dripping wet—
The little doll has lied!
4. Corporate Lies Friends
by Tom Sucic
I do not defend or accuse.
I do not side with, I expose.
We know the history of this world,
or at least what we are told..
We had suffering and death,
we still do as a matter of fact.
Usually brought on by change,
but at times by conflicts and wars.
Who are the good guys ?
Who are the bad guys ?
When either side commits genocide.
Based on Idealism’s set by one or few.
We will never have
peace and harmony,
or equality while selfish
despots are in control.
How does one what has
been taken regain ?
Without harm, them restrain.
To create a better world.
When the information they retain!
Control, deceive and manipulate,
keep the consumers, in the dark.
While making us believe that fake is real.
See we are so easily mislead
and willing to jump into their bed.
Some even adore and worship them.
While they inflict hardships and pain.
For personal gain on a humongous scale.
As they are so enriched and empowered.
Most are untouchable and fulfill their desires.
While others live in poverty & wallow,
around small camp fires.
On a personal funny side.
Recently I have been accused of
Loving the Chinese in a jealous rage.
That I love the Asians, Vietnamese?
That us Europeans hate.
That I hate U S A or America ?
I’m thinking ? What is she on about?
And answer her. Do you realize that..
Australia is a mini USA ?
In most things about 10 years behind.
That stopped her in her Tracks.
So when she was through with her teasing.
I simply asked.. Do you think I take sides?
Have you had a look in the mirror lately?
I hate to tell you this.. But you are Asian..
And I like and Love you.
You see Baby girl the world is not as simple
as you may think it is.. It’s based on profits.
Rip offs and scams.. Bribes and deals..
They claim they provide you with meals.
While they give you, and others crumbs..
They fly in self owned jets, drive expensive wheels..
Live in Mansions and have Millions and Billions.
They lie and cheat and make you feel complete.
While telling you on advertised media,
you are getting this deal really cheap.
You can’t compete as they have the system set up.
To be biased and unfair even have Politicians
in their pockets and have the regulatory bodies on side.
Because they have the power to influence
to legally, but unfairly, laws alter and manipulate.
They discriminate. It’s a selfish acquisition,
and they get rid of the competition.
They are self-focused and unfair only, help their own.
While they are involved, & keep it all hush.
Deceive them and complain they will oust you in a rush.
5. Yes Yes
by Charles Bukowski
when God created love he didn’t help most
when God created dogs He didn’t help dogs
when God created plants that was average
when God created hate we had a standard utility
when God created me He created me
when God created the monkey He was asleep
when He created the giraffe He was drunk
when He created narcotics He was high
and when He created suicide He was low
When He created you lying in bed
He knew what He was doing
He was drunk and He was high
and He created the mountains and the sea and fire at the same time
He made some mistakes
but when He created you lying in bed
He came all over His Blessed Universe.
6. A True King
by Dominique Lucas
Take a bow
That smile alone brings the sun to rise,
kneel to the might of this darling king
His booming voice echoing through the streets,
pay no mind to the off-key way he sings
Take a bow
For there is not a day that he doesn’t carry our world,
fighting against those who strike at the weak
This courageous beast that tears down walls,
and he never curries favor, no prize does he seek
Take a bow
As he comes down the aisle, head held high,
a glorious proud man with nerves of steel
Under his command, we will surely thrive,
he gives hope and showers love that’s real
Take a bow
For this man who wears the crown, though shortly,
will continue to work toward a future that’s bright
This sweet and loving man that lies in my arms,
will always be a king, even as an everyday knight
7. Half-Truth or Lie?
by Roy
Is a half-truth different than a lie?
Shrouded clouds designed to impede,
when both have the purpose to mislead.
Misplaced trust a saddening deed.
A half-truth no different than a lie?
Is the truth so arduous to say,
will it really blight someone’s day.
To absorb the truth with no delay.
Is a half-truth worse than a lie?
We all should trust in our belief,
when half the truth offers no relief.
It only serves to foster grief.
Surely half-truth is indeed a lie?
The answers are there for those that hear,
that have learned to control the fear.
For those that hold the truth so dear
A half-truth told is just a lie;
like a fledgling told it cannot fly.
8. Just Stop Lying to Me
by Anonymous
You told me that when we met
you were different from all the others
that you would never hurt me
that you wouldn’t ever lie.
Well that in itself is a lie,
you have yet to tell me the truth
and instead of talking to me
you rather tell others behind my back.
I am sick of being lied to
I am sick of you hiding from me
all of what you really feel
and I have to learn from others.
It’s worse when you don’t tell me
what you don’t like about me,
and someone else says it
but you don’t care,
you never did.
So why can’t you talk to me?
Your a hypocrite when you get me to talk
but you won’t ever confied in me.
Just please stop,
please stop lying to me.
Short Poems about Lying
Sometimes, brevity is the soul of wit. These short poetries about lying pack a punch in just a few lines, capturing the essence of lying and its consequences.
1. The Boy Who Never Told a Lie
by Anonymous
Once there was a little boy,
With curly hair and pleasant eye—
A boy who always told the truth,
And never, never told a lie.
And when he trotted off to school,
The children all about would cry,
“There goes the curly-headed boy—
The boy that never tells a lie.”
And everybody loved him so,
Because he always told the truth,
That every day, as he grew up,
‘T was said, “There goes the honest youth.”
And when the people that stood near
Would turn to ask the reason why,
The answer would be always this:
“Because he never tells a lie.”
2. Go North, South, East, and West, Young Man
by Spike Milligan
Drake is going west, lads
So Tom is going East
But tiny Fred
Just lies in bed,
The lazy little beast.
3. Tell All the Truth
by Emily Dickinson
Tell all the truth but tell it slant,
Success in circuit lies,
Too bright for our infirm delight
The truth’s superb surprise;
As lightning to the children eased
With explanation kind,
The truth must dazzle gradually
Or every man be blind.
4. Don’t Comfort Me With a Lie.
by Anonymous
Hurt me with the truth, but don’t comfort me with a lie,
I can take the hurt of a lie but don’t hurt me with the truth,
I don’t l;like when you lie, but when you lie in a form of a truth,
Hurts even more than the lie it self,
It make me wanna cry, to shout or even sigh.
Don’t let me live in sorrow because of the truth and the lie,
Don’t lie to me to comfort me,
Don’t tell the truth if it’s simply going to hurt me,
Just don’t say anything at all.
The truth can hurt just as much as the lie… maybe even more.
5. Mankind on Earth
by Edward Kofi Louis
Lies told! ! !
Every day on earth;
Mankind on earth!
Musing along with our works.
Lies leading to hatred!
Lies leading to war! !
Lies leading to racism;
Mankind on earth.
Chain reaction!
Actions around us,
Mankind on earth! !
Destroying the world with lies.
Lies! Lies! ! Lies! ! !
Lies everywhere on earth!
Mankind on earth;
Wickedness leading the way.
6. Lying Down
by Robert Desnos
To the right, the sky, to the left, the sea.
And before your eyes, the grass and its flowers.
A cloud, the road, follows its vertical way
Parallel to the plumb line of the horizon,
Parallel to the rider.
The horse races towards its imminent fall
And the other climbs interminably.
How simple and strange everything is.
Lying on my left side
I take no interest in the landscape
And I think only of things that are very vague,
Very vague and very pleasant,
Like the tired look you walk around with
Through this beautiful summer afternoon
To the right, to the left,
Here, there,
In the delirium of uselessness.
7. A Dismal Cypress Lying
by A Dismal Cypress Lying,
Damon cried, all pale and dying,
Kind is death that ends my pain,
But cruel she I lov’d in vain.
The mossy fountains
Murmur my trouble,
And hollow mountains
My groans redouble:
Ev’ry nymph mourns me,
Thus while I languish;
She only scorns me,
Who caus’d my anguish.
No love returning me, but all hope denying;
By a dismal cypress lying,
Like a swan, so sung he dying:
Kind is death that ends my pain,
But cruel she I lov’d in vain.
8. Lying on The Dune Sand
by Takuboku
Lying on the dune sand
this day I recall
remotely
the anguish of my first love.
9. Lie and Naked Truth
by Hermella
Born with a smile,
For some reason my parents named me lie
And ever since, I do so as am told
I lie my ass off.
Never have I ever been so true to anything but my name
I was called lie, so a lier I became
Even when my chest heaved ratting out the truth
I lied coz that’s what I was told to do.
But then I met you
you the naked truth
And so I ask
What always made you shine so bright?
Coz until you came along I was the everyday high-light
And so you told me all that was right
But my dubious ears made you-the naked truth-a lier
Because you told me that there is a little lie in every truth
But the fact was that in every lie was a little truth.
Long Poems about Lying
For those who prefer a more in-depth exploration of the theme of lying, these long poetries about lying are just the ticket. They delve deep into the complexities of dishonesty and its impact on our lives.
1. The Boy and the Wolf
by John Hookham Frere
A little Boy was set to keep
A little flock of goats or sheep;
He thought the task too solitary,
And took a strange perverse vagary:
To call the people out of fun,
To see them leave their work and run,
He cried and screamed with all his might, —
“Wolf! wolf!” in a pretended fright.
Some people, working at a distance,
Came running in to his assistance.
They searched the fields and bushes round,
The Wolf was nowhere to be found.
The Boy, delighted with his game,
A few days after did the same,
And once again the people came.
The trick was many times repeated,
At last they found that they were cheated.
One day the Wolf appeared in sight,
The Boy was in a real fright,
He cried, “Wolf! wolf!” — the neighbors heard,
But not a single creature stirred.
“We need not go from our employ, —
‘Tis nothing but that idle boy.”
The little Boy cried out again,
“Help, help! the Wolf!” he cried in vain.
At last his master came to beat him.
He came too late, the Wolf had eat him.
This shows the bad effect of lying,
And likewise of continual crying.
If I had heard you scream and roar,
For nothing, twenty times before,
Although you might have broke your arm,
Or met with any serious harm,
Your cries could give me no alarm;
They would not make me move the faster,
Nor apprehend the least disaster;
I should be sorry when I came,
But you yourself would be to blame.
2. The Spider and the Fly
by Mary Howitt
Will you walk into my parlor?” said the Spider to the Fly.
“‘Tis the prettiest little parlor that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlor is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to show when you are there.”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “to ask me is in vain;
For who goes up your winding stair can ne’er come down again.”
“I’m sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?” said the Spider to the Fly.
“There are pretty curtains drawn around, the sheets are fine and thin;
And if you like to rest a while, I’ll snugly tuck you in!”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “for I’ve often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!”
Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, “Dear friend, what can I do
To prove the warm affection I’ve always felt for you?
I have, within my pantry, good store of all that’s nice;
I’m sure you’re very welcome—will you please to take a slice?”
“Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, “kind sir, that cannot be,
I’ve heard what’s in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!”
“Sweet creature,” said the Spider, “you’re witty and you’re wise;
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I have a little looking-glass upon my parlor shelf;
If you’ll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself.”
“I thank you, gentle sir,” she said, “for what you’re pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I’ll call another day.”
The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon be back again;
So he wove a subtle web in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,—
“Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple, there’s a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead.”
Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by:
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,—
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue;
Thinking only of her crested head—poor foolish thing! at last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den
Within his little parlor—but she ne’er came out again!
And now, dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly, flattering words, I pray you ne’er give heed;
Unto an evil counsellor close heart, and ear, and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale of the Spider and the Fly
3. The Lies We Tell
by Lillian Rose
Daddy: Say sorry.
I: Even if I don’t mean it?
Daddy: Yes.
I: But that’s a lie…
You’re saying I should lie?
to mommy?
Daddy: Say sorry.
I: I won’t! That’s lying.
They told me to tell the truth,
but they didn’t want the truth.
They didn’t want my truth.
They wanted a lie:
fabricated, undulated sighs
of the “wise”.
They told me to tell the truth,
so I spun them a pretty lie
and looked them dead in the eye.
They ate my words
and craved dessert too.
Was I a fool to question mom and daddy’s rules
(because they check the news
and they’ve been in my shoes too)?
So I told them a lie.
I told mommy sorry
even though I didn’t mean it.
I told them I was okay
even though I felt defeated.
I told them school was fun
then cried myself to sleep, and
I told myself I loved it
when pain was my sole friend.
I told them I didn’t need help
after I broke down in the mall.
I told them something fell
and made that hole in the wall.
I told them I loved my job
when it makes me rip my hair out.
I told them all these things
when all I felt was self-doubt
because these lies we tell
are much more than we admit.
“Lying is a sin” but
didn’t keep us from telling it.
When we create an illusion
with the words that we sound,
we buy into deceit
we made all on our own.
What kind of world do we live in
where we can’t tell lies from fact?
We should learn to tell the truth
and stop putting on an act.
Mom, I wasn’t, but now I’m sorry.
World, I think I’m slowly bleeding.
I’m anything but okay,
but feel better not deceiving.
4. The Propaganda of Lies
by Kenneth Maswabi
Lying is not a philosophical ideology
Or a religious doctrine
It’s not even an art
Lies are despised pieces of rubbish
Condemned as vile and pernicious by history
Lies have no religious, scientific or ethical value
Littering the minds of some unscrupulous people
Often times folded into deceitful shiny packets
To evade the ultra-sensitive eyes of the moral fabric
It’s pathetic to hold lies high above the light
And broadcast them in day light
It’s foolishness to make lies your ideology
It’s impossible to hold lies in your mind for too long
Because lies have short legs
They will slip away or fall off
Leaving you looking like a fool
The propaganda of lies
Have pervaded the fabric of life
From newspaper to politics
Lies are portrayed as juicy and appetizing to the human psyche
Often times plastered on billboards and cover pages
Or rolled out as breaking news
To distort and disfigure the pedestal of the truth
To erase the higher dimensions of consciousness
Lies are purposefully used
As weapons to demarcate the moral fabric
And render the house of humanity to the vultures
That hold greed and deceit far above the truth
It’s now or never
That humanity should expunge all lies
From the discourse of life
To prevent the collapse of one of the major pillars of consciousness – the truth
It’s mathematically impossible
To calculate the value of the truth in our daily lives
Spiritually, the truth is priceless
It’s scientifically impossible to determine the density of lies in our daily lives
Spiritually, lies are very dense – obliterating our foresight
It’s true
Lies go against our moral fabric
It’s also true
That the truth shall set us free
5. The Lie
by Sir Walter Raleigh
Go, soul, the body’s guest,
Upon a thankless errand;
Fear not to touch the best;
The truth shall be thy warrant:
Go, since I needs must die,
And give the world the lie.
Say to the court, it glows
And shines like rotten wood;
Say to the church, it shows
What’s good, and doth no good:
If church and court reply,
Then give them both the lie.
Tell potentates, they live
Acting by others’ action;
Not loved unless they give,
Not strong but by a faction.
If potentates reply,
Give potentates the lie.
Tell men of high condition,
That manage the estate,
Their purpose is ambition,
Their practice only hate:
And if they once reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell them that brave it most,
They beg for more by spending,
Who, in their greatest cost,
Seek nothing but commending.
And if they make reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell zeal it wants devotion;
Tell love it is but lust;
Tell time it is but motion;
Tell flesh it is but dust:
And wish them not reply,
For thou must give the lie.
Tell age it daily wasteth;
Tell honour how it alters;
Tell beauty how she blasteth;
Tell favour how it falters:
And as they shall reply,
Give every one the lie.
Tell wit how much it wrangles
In tickle points of niceness;
Tell wisdom she entangles
Herself in overwiseness:
And when they do reply,
Straight give them both the lie.
Tell physic of her boldness;
Tell skill it is pretension;
Tell charity of coldness;
Tell law it is contention:
And as they do reply,
So give them still the lie.
Tell fortune of her blindness;
Tell nature of decay;
Tell friendship of unkindness;
Tell justice of delay:
And if they will reply,
Then give them all the lie.
Tell arts they have no soundness,
But vary by esteeming;
Tell schools they want profoundness,
And stand too much on seeming:
If arts and schools reply,
Give arts and schools the lie.
Tell faith it’s fled the city;
Tell how the country erreth;
Tell manhood shakes off pity
And virtue least preferreth:
And if they do reply,
Spare not to give the lie.
So when thou hast, as I
Commanded thee, done blabbing—
Although to give the lie
Deserves no less than stabbing—
Stab at thee he that will,
No stab the soul can kill.
6. Snow Lies
by Aleksandr Lvanovich Vvedensky
Snow lies
earth flies
lights flip
night walks in
night lies on a rug of stars
night how are you spelled?
like an inane lever
sleeps the insane river
she is not aware
of the moon everywhere
animals gnash their canines
in black gold cages
animals bang their heads
animals are the ospreys of saints
the world flies around the universe
in the vicinity of stars
dashes weeping like a swallow
seeks a home a nest
there’s no nest a hole
the universe is alone
maybe rarely will pass
time as poor as a knight
yes or will pass
away a bedridden miss
then a crowd of relations
will rush in and cry alas
in steel houses
will howl loudly
she’s dead and buried
hopped to paradise big-bellied
God God have pity
good God on the precipice
but God said Go play
and she entered paradise
there spun askance aslant
numbers houses and seas
which perceived
the accidental is amiss
there God languished behind bars
with no eyes no legs no arms
so that maiden in tears
sees all this in the heavens
sees various eagles
appear out of night
and fly inane
and flash insane
this is so depressing
the dead maiden will say
serenely surprised
God will say
what’s depressing what’s
depressing, God, life
what are you talking about
what O noon do you know
you press pleasure and Paris
to your breast like two pears
you swell like music
you’re swell like a statue
then the wood howled
in final despair
it spies through the trees
a meandering ribbon
little ribbon an eight
slinky Lena of fate
Mercury was in the air
spinning like a top
and the bear
sunned his coat
people also walked around
bearing fish on a platter
bearing on their hands
ten fingers on a ladder
while this was occurring
that maiden rested
rose from the dead and forgot
yawned and said
you guys, I had a dream
what can it mean
dreams are worse than macaroni
they make crows double over
I was not dying at all
no I was lying
I was eyeing
I was gaping I was crying
I was aping and replying
a fit of lethargy
was had by me among the effigies
let’s partake in entertainment
let’s gallop to the cinema
and she sped off like an ass
to satisfy her innermost
here’s the shining of the world
night how are you spelled
7. Lie in the Dark and Listen
by Noel Coward
Lie in the dark and listen,
It’s clear tonight so they’re flying high
Hundreds of them, thousands perhaps,
Riding the icy, moonlight sky.
Men, materials, bombs and maps
Altimeters and guns and charts
Coffee, sandwiches, fleece-lined boots
Bones and muscles and minds and hearts
English saplings with English roots
Deep in the earth they’ve left below
Lie in the dark and let them go
Lie in the dark and listen.
Lie in the dark and listen
They’re going over in waves and waves
High above villages, hills and streams
Country churches and little graves
And little citizen’s worried dreams.
Very soon they’ll have reached the sea
And far below them will lie the bays
And coves and sands where they used to be
Taken for summer holidays.
Lie in the dark and let them go
Lie in the dark and listen.
Lie in the dark and listen
City magnates and steel contractors,
Factory workers and politicians
Soft hysterical little actors Ballet dancers,
‘reserved’ musicians,
Safe in your warm civilian beds
Count your profits and count your sheep
Life is flying above your heads
Just turn over and try to sleep.
Lie in the dark and let them go
Theirs is a world you’ll never know
Lie in the dark and listen.
8. Bride and Groom Lie Hidden for Three Days
by Ted Hughes
She gives him his eyes, she found them
Among some rubble, among some beetles
He gives her her skin
He just seemed to pull it down out of the air and lay it over her
She weeps with fearfulness and astonishment
She has found his hands for him, and fitted them freshly at the wrists
They are amazed at themselves, they go feeling all over her
He has assembled her spine, he cleaned each piece carefully
And sets them in perfect order
A superhuman puzzle but he is inspired
She leans back twisting this way and that, using it and laughing
Incredulous
Now she has brought his feet, she is connecting them
So that his whole body lights up
And he has fashioned her new hips
With all fittings complete and with newly wound coils, all shiningly oiled
He is polishing every part, he himself can hardly believe it
They keep taking each other to the sun, they find they can easily
To test each new thing at each new step
And now she smoothes over him the plates of his skull
So that the joints are invisible
And now he connects her throat, her breasts and the pit of her stomach
With a single wire
She gives him his teeth, tying the the roots to the centrepin of his body
He sets the little circlets on her fingertips
She stitches his body here and there with steely purple silk
He oils the delicate cogs of her mouth
She inlays with deep cut scrolls the nape of his neck
He sinks into place the inside of her thighs
So, gasping with joy, with cries of wonderment
Like two gods of mud
Sprawling in the dirt, but with infinite care
They bring each other to perfection.
Poems about Lying That Rhyme
Rhyme adds a musical quality to poetry that can make it all the more engaging. These rhyming poems on lying use rhyme and rhythm to explore the many facets of lying.
1. A Boy That Told a Lie
by Lowell Mason
The mother looked pale, and her face was sad;
She seemed to have nothing to make her glad;
She silently sat with the tears in her eye,
For her dear little boy had told a lie.
He was a gentle, affectionate child;
His ways were winning, his temper was mild;
There was love and joy in the soft blue eye,
But the dear little boy had told a lie.
He stood alone by the window within,
For he felt that his soul was stained with sin;
And his mother could hear him sob and cry,
Because he had told her that wicked lie.
Then he came and stood by his mother’s side,
And asked for a kiss, which she denied;
While he promised with many a penitent sigh,
That he never would tell another lie.
So she bade him before her kneel gently down,
And took his soft hands within her own,
And she kissed his cheek as he looked on high
And prayed to be pardoned for telling that lie.
2. Liar – A Life of Lies
by Anonymous
One too many and all are gone
a jack of all trades but a master of none.
very personable yet his friends are few or none
he is many yet he is one
many faces, one on one
if you meet again that one is gone
he chooses his lies for the fun
a true relationship is only but a pun
a fabricated personality has won
but if you peel away too much he is done
he will turn tail and run
he is many, yet he is one…
3. Liar Poet
by Anonymous
A poet with a power of pen burns,
a few intricate words and thoughts,
unveiling truth churns,
as every topic and poet’s expression is a better learn.
His sugar coated words consoles a heart,
harsh words like bull’s eye dart,
his words ais mighter than sword,
as to make believe others is a talent Lord.
He is liar mmense,
as his few words make believe hence,
which on the earth hardly makes sense
but coverting to truth dense,
Unable to distinguish even placed under magnifying lens.
So lie to truth is a thin line,
as his magical words makes eyes shine,
harsh words enthusiasm and valour find,
liar or thruthful. Nobody minds,
4. When My Love Swears That She Is Made of Truth
by William Shakespeare
When my love swears that she is made of truth
I do believe her, though I know she lies,
That she might think me some untutored youth,
Unlearnèd in the world’s false subtleties.
Thus vainly thinking that she thinks me young,
Although she knows my days are past the best,
Simply I credit her false-speaking tongue;
On both sides thus is simple truth suppressed.
But wherefore says she not she is unjust?
And wherefore say not I that I am old?
O, love’s best habit is in seeming trust,
And age in love, loves not to have years told.
Therefore I lie with her, and she with me,
And in our faults by lies we flattered be.
5. Requiem
by Robert Louis Stevenson
Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me;
‘Here he lies where he longed to be,
Home is the sailor, home from sea,
And the hunter home from the hill.’
6. All Is Truth
by Walt Whitman
O ME, man of slack faith so long!
Standing aloof–denying portions so long;
Only aware to-day of compact, all-diffused truth;
Discovering to-day there is no lie, or form of lie, and can be none,
but grows as inevitably upon itself as the truth does upon
itself,
Or as any law of the earth, or any natural production of the earth
does.
(This is curious, and may not be realized immediately–But it must be
realized;
I feel in myself that I represent falsehoods equally with the rest,
And that the universe does.)
Where has fail’d a perfect return, indifferent of lies or the truth?
Is it upon the ground, or in water or fire? or in the spirit of man?
or in the meat and blood? 10
Meditating among liars, and retreating sternly into myself, I see
that there are really no liars or lies after all,
And that nothing fails its perfect return–And that what are called
lies are perfect returns,
And that each thing exactly represents itself, and what has preceded
it,
And that the truth includes all, and is compact, just as much as
space is compact,
And that there is no flaw or vacuum in the amount of the truth–but
that all is truth without exception;
And henceforth I will go celebrate anything I see or am,
And sing and laugh, and deny nothing.
7. Can You Not See
by Ernestine Northover
Can you not see the sorrow, in someone’s tearful eyes,
Or see the dread, in someone’s weary frown.
Can you not see the fear, when someone’s telling lies,
Or feel the sadness, in the laughter of a clown.
Can you not see disappointment, in someone’s shoulder stoop,
Or the hand of doubt, when someone drags their feet.
Their whole being, giving signs, with a sagging body droop,
That their life, in this world, isn’t quite complete.
Can you not see that each poor soul, has a heavy cross to bear,
One which we hope, will never come our way,
Perhaps the onus, is on us, to show them that we care,
And lift their spirits, and take away dismay.
Then we could see the smile, in someone’s brightening eyes,
And the serenity, in someone’s lifting frown.
The openness, when someone speaks, they’ll have no need for lies,
And there will be a healing, in the laughter of a clown.
8. Truth Lies Within
by Tulsidas
Within the body lies the essence which the Vedas and the Puranas are seeking.
Within this body exists the entire Universe, so the sagacious Saints say.
Recluses, ascetics and monks are searching for Him in variegated garbs.
Rishis, munis and avdhoots lay stress on scriptures and holy books.
The learned of the world, puffed up with pride in their scholarly traditions, remain deluded by their erudition.
They delude the world through the practice of pilgrimage, fasting and charity;
They glorify bathing in holy waters and their gollowers bear the evil consequences.
They get lost in rituals and external observances and never can reach the destination.
Such is the state of people in this world
Who keep revolving in the cycle of eighty-four.
Only the Saints have attained the Ultimate, O Tulsi,
They obtain liberation who realize this truth.
The pedantic are engrossed in the practice of traditions,
And evermore, in their ego, are they enslaved by delusion
9. O Make Me A Mask
by Dylan Thomas
O make me a mask and a wall to shut from your spies
Of the sharp, enamelled eyes and the spectacled claws
Rape and rebellion in the nurseries of my face,
Gag of dumbstruck tree to block from bare enemies
The bayonet tongue in this undefended prayerpiece,
The present mouth, and the sweetly blown trumpet of lies,
Shaped in old armour and oak the countenance of a dunce
To shield the glistening brain and blunt the examiners,
And a tear-stained widower grief drooped from the lashes
To veil belladonna and let the dry eyes perceive
Others betray the lamenting lies of their losses
By the curve of the nude mouth or the laugh up the sleeve.
10. Absence
by Claude Mckay
Your words dropped into my heart like pebbles into a pool,
Rippling around my breast and leaving it melting cool.
Your kisses fell sharp on my flesh like dawn-dews from the limb,
Of a fruit-filled lemon tree when the day is young and dim.
But a silence vasty-deep, oh deeper than all these ties
Now, through the menacing miles, brooding between us lies.
And more than the songs I sing, I await your written word,
To stir my fluent blood as never your presence stirred.
Poems about Lying for Children
Children need to learn about the importance of honesty from a young age. These poems about lying for kids use playful language and relatable themes to teach valuable lessons about the dangers of lying.
1. A Wounded Deer Leaps Highest
by Emily Dickinson
A wounded deer leaps highest,
I’ve heard the hunter tell;
‘T is but the ecstasy of death,
And then the brake is still.
The smitten rock that gushes,
The trampled steel that springs;
A cheek is always redder
Just where the hectic stings!
Mirth is the mail of anguish,
In which it cautions arm,
Lest anybody spy the blood
And “You’re hurt” exclaim!
2. White Lies
by Anonymous
White lies
That are still lies
In disguise
But I am tired of the cries
Tired of not feeling anything special when I look into your eyes
Time flies
Time also made me wise
So many times, I agonized
A bit hypnotized
But not surprised
I guess it was late when I realized
I was already mentally paralyzed
I compromised
The more I analyzed
The more I became mesmerized
Disorganized and mortified
With your white lies
That are still lies
Just in disguise
3. A World of Lies
by Judy Emery
A world of lies
playing on the minds even in ancient time,
poets and all kinds of writers has a message
to give and to forgive;
in a world of darkness, you must try hard
to find the light of what is right,
A world of lies hold an ancient message that
may come in poetry or even in darken dreams.
Stories are being told from the young and the old,
they do stand bold in a world so cold,
Poets have been writing long ago to touch the souls,
The good or the bad;
Poets holds an ancient message to all those who
can reads or hears;
the message could hold tears and fears;
or love that can shine so bright
even on the darkest nights.
The poets and the writers of all types
Can play upon the minds
in the words, they chose to use
to write out their hidden messages;
Just to get their job done.
In a world of lies It’s hard to find the ones that are right
So, listen close to the famous lines
they can come to you in many ways
even in darken dreams.
4. After
by Robert Browning
Take the cloak from his face, and at first
Let the corpse do its worst!
How he lies in his rights of a man!
Death has done all death can.
And, absorbed in the new life he leads,
He recks not, he heeds
Nor his wrong nor my vengeance; both strike
On his senses alike,
And are lost in the solemn and strange
Surprise of the change.
Ha, what avails death to erase
His offence, my disgrace?
I would we were boys as of old
In the field, by the fold:
His outrage, God’s patience, man’s scorn
Were so easily borne!
I stand here now, he lies in his place:
Cover the face!
5. Baby Picture
by Anne Sexton
It’s in the heart of the grape
where that smile lies.
It’s in the good-bye-bow in the hair
where that smile lies.
It’s in the clerical collar of the dress
where that smile lies.
What smile?
The smile of my seventh year,
caught here in the painted photograph.
It’s peeling now, age has got it,
a kind of cancer of the background
and also in the assorted features.
It’s like a rotten flag
or a vegetable from the refrigerator,
pocked with mold.
I am aging without sound,
into darkness, darkness.
Anne,
who are you?
I open the vein
and my blood rings like roller skates.
I open the mouth
and my teeth are an angry army.
I open the eyes
and they go sick like dogs
with what they have seen.
I open the hair
and it falls apart like dust balls.
I open the dress
and I see a child bent on a toilet seat.
I crouch there, sitting dumbly
pushing the enemas out like ice cream,
letting the whole brown world
turn into sweets.
6. Teaching Xviii
by Kahlil Gibran
Then said a teacher, ‘Speak to us of Teaching.’
And he said:
No man can reveal to you aught but that which already lies half asleep in the dawning of our knowledge.
The teacher who walks in the shadow of the temple, among his followers, gives not of his wisdom but rather of his faith and his lovingness.
If he is indeed wise he does not bid you enter the house of wisdom, but rather leads you to the threshold of your own mind.
The astronomer may speak to you of his understanding of space, but he cannot give you his understanding.
The musician may sing to you of the rhythm which is in all space, but he cannot give you the ear which arrests the rhythm nor the voice that echoes it.
And he who is versed in the science of numbers can tell of the regions of weight and measure, but he cannot conduct you thither.
For the vision of one man lends not its wings to another man.
And even as each one of you stands alone in God’s knowledge, so must each one of you be alone in his knowledge of God and in his understanding of the earth.
7. Counting Lies Do the Math
by Terence George Craddock
lies do math
multiplication tables
subtract innocence
divide loyalties
multiply problems
add to character flaws
geometry is in heads
snake tongue twisting lip lies
slithering into hearts minds
lies turn into
medusa head lies
turn hearts people to stone
lies are snakes
twist risk snake lies
snaky-haired hissing lies
spiral sidewinder lies
poison ankle biting lies
brain chemical death dealing lies
lies future travel
grow time warp people
into black hole personalities
8. Truth
by Gst Gst
A truth lies as a seed sow deeply rooted in soil,
A truth lies as cloud covers the universe,
A truth lies as a layer of ocean touches the sky,
A truth lies as hail falls on the tip of grass and hay,
A truth lies when a leaf sheds from the blowy wind,
A truth lies when raindrops platters on the eye,
A truth lies when creatures creates its own languages,
A truth lies as different birds chirps its own cry,
A truth lies when every single creatures calls for its mother,
A truth lies when a starfish stroke to the shore,
A truth lies when lightning strike,
A truth lies when thunder showers grow,
A truth lies when a rainbow brighten up the sky as a smile,
A truth lies when nature grow,
A truth lies when man grows,
Itis the truth about his parents,
It is the truth about his love, Care and affections,
It is the truth about his existences,
It is the truth his deeds of life,
It is the only truth that says,
You are one among the billions
Stay tune! stay tune! in the universe all round,
Till the truth of death lay off you and me.
9. Cry
by Gst
In the above all, lies a great attitude,
In the above all, lies a respect,
In the above all, lies a honor,
In the above all, lies a calm,
In the above all, lies a patience,
In the above all, lies a happiness,
In the above all, lies a mercy,
In the above all, lies a gentleness,
In the above all, lies a sharing,
In the above all, lies a caring,
In the above all, lies a love,
In the above all, lies a sincerity,
Only to you can be done, gifted by all the graces and blessings,
Bestow upon you all imaginations,
showered by almighty creator,
So, mankind be the above all attributes,
Be the one who need care and love,
Be the one with all GEMS
To survive and lead the world,
Without the outer character of show biz,
Be the one who you are!
10. Against Lying
by Isaac Watts
O ’tis a lovely thing for youth
To early walk in wisdom’s way;
To fear a lie, to speak the truth,
That we may trust to all they say!
But liars we can never trust,
Even when they say what is true.
And he who does one fault at first
And lies to hide it, makes it two.
Have we not known, nor heard, nor read
How God does hate deceit and wrong?
How Ananias was struck dead,
Caught with a lie upon his tongue?
So did his wife Sapphira die,
When she came in, and grew so bold
As to confirm that wicked lie,
Which just before her husband told.
The Lord delights in them that speak
The words of truth; but every liar
Must have his portion in the lake
That burns with brimstone and with fire.
Poems about Lying in a Relationship
Trust is the foundation of any successful relationship, and lying can erode that trust. These poems about deception explore the impact of lying on romantic relationships and the importance of honesty in love.
1. My Dove, My Beautiful One
by James Joyce
My dove, my beautiful one,
Arise, arise!
The night-dew lies
Upon my lips and eyes.
The odorous winds are weaving
A music of sighs:
Arise, arise,
My dove, my beautiful one!
I wait by the cedar tree,
My sister, my love,
White breast of the dove,
My breast shall be your bed.
The pale dew lies
Like a veil on my head.
My fair one, my fair dove,
Arise, arise!
2. Is My Team Ploughing
by Alfred Edward Housman
“Is my team ploughing,
That I was used to drive
And hear the harness jingle
When I was man alive?”
Ay, the horses trample,
The harness jingles now;
No change though you lie under
The land you used to plough.
“Is football playing
Along the river shore,
With lads to chase the leather,
Now I stand up no more?”
Ay, the ball is flying,
The lads play heart and soul;
The goal stands up, the keeper
Stands up to keep the goal.
“Is my girl happy,
That I thought hard to leave,
And has she tired of weeping
As she lies down at eve?”
Ay, she lies down lightly,
She lies not down to weep,
Your girl is well contented.
Be still, my lad, and sleep.
“Is my friend hearty,
Now I am thin and pine,
And has he found to sleep in
A better bed than mine?”
Yes, lad, I lie easy,
I lie as lads would choose;
I cheer a dead man’s sweetheart,
Never ask me whose.
3. Lies About Love
by D H Lawrence
We are liars, because
the truth of yesterday becomes a lie tomorrow,
whereas letters are fixed,
and we live by the letter of truth.
The love I feel for my friend, this year,
is different from the love I felt last year.
If it were not so, it would be a lie.
Yet we reiterate love! love! love!
as if it were a coin with a fixed value
instead of a flower that dies, and opens a different bud
4. Talking in Bed
by Philip Larkin
Talking in bed ought to be easiest,
Lying together there goes back so far,
An emblem of two people being honest.
Yet more and more time passes silently.
Outside, the wind’s incomplete unrest
Builds and disperses clouds in the sky,
And dark towns heap up on the horizon.
None of this cares for us. Nothing shows why
At this unique distance from isolation
It becomes still more difficult to find
Words at once true and kind,
Or not untrue and not unkind.
5. Matilda Who Told Lies, And Was Burned to Death
by Hilaire Belloc
Matilda told such Dreadful Lies,
It made one Gasp and Stretch one’s Eyes;
Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth,
Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth,
Attempted to Believe Matilda:
The effort very nearly killed her,
And would have done so, had not She
Discovered this Infirmity.
For once, towards the Close of Day,
Matilda, growing tired of play,
And finding she was left alone,
Went tiptoe to the Telephone
And summoned the Immediate Aid
Of London’s Noble Fire-Brigade.
Within an hour the Gallant Band
Were pouring in on every hand,
From Putney, Hackney Downs, and Bow.
With Courage high and Hearts a-glow,
They galloped, roaring through the Town,
‘Matilda’s House is Burning Down!’
Inspired by British Cheers and Loud
Proceeding from the Frenzied Crowd,
They ran their ladders through a score
Of windows on the Ball Room Floor;
And took Peculiar Pains to Souse
The Pictures up and down the House,
Until Matilda’s Aunt succeeded
In showing them they were not needed;
And even then she had to pay
To get the Men to go away,
It happened that a few Weeks later
Her Aunt was off to the Theatre
To see that Interesting Play
The Second Mrs. Tanqueray.
She had refused to take her Niece
To hear this Entertaining Piece:
A Deprivation Just and Wise
To Punish her for Telling Lies.
That Night a Fire did break out–
You should have heard Matilda Shout!
You should have heard her Scream and Bawl,
And throw the window up and call
To People passing in the Street–
(The rapidly increasing Heat
Encouraging her to obtain
Their confidence) — but all in vain!
For every time she shouted ‘Fire!’
They only answered ‘Little Liar!’
And therefore when her Aunt returned,
Matilda, and the House, were Burned.
6. To Little Renee on First Seeing Her Lying in Her Cradle
by William Aspinwall
Who is she here that now I see,
This dainty new divinity,
Love’s sister, Venus’ child? She shows
Her hues, white lily and pink rose,
And in her laughing eyes the snares
That hearts entangle unawares.
Ah, woe to men if Love should yield
His arrows to this girl to wield
Even in play, for she would give
Sore wounds that none might take and live.
Yet no such wanton strain is hers,
Nor Leda’s child and Jupiter’s
Is she, though swans no softer are
Than whom she fairer is by far.
For she was born beside the rill
That gushes from Parnassus’ hill,
And by the bright Pierian spring
She shall receive an offering
From every youth who pipes a strain
Beside his flocks upon the plain.
But I, the first, this very day,
Will tune for her my humble lay,
Invoking this new Muse to render
My oaten reed more sweet and tender,
Within its vibrant hollows wake
Such dulcet voices for her sake
As, curved hand at straining ear,
I long have stood and sought to hear
Borne with the warm midsummer breeze
With scent of hay and hum of bees
Faintly from far-off Sicily….
Ah, well I know that not for us
Are Virgil and Theocritus,
And that the golden age is past
Whereof they sang, and thou, the last,
Sweet Spenser, of their god-like line,
Soar far too swift for verse of mine
One strain to compass of your song.
Yet there are poets that prolong
Of your rare voice the ravishment
In silver cadences; content
Were I if I could but rehearse
One stave of Wither’s starry verse,
Weave such wrought richness as recalls
Britannia’s lovely Pastorals,
Or in some garden-spot suspire
One breath of Marvell’s magic fire
When in the green and leafy shade
He sees dissolving all that’s made.
Ah, little Muse still far too high
On weak, clipped wings my wishes fly.
Transform them then and make them doves,
Soft-moaning birds that Venus loves,
That they may circle ever low
Above the abode where you shall grow
Into your gracious womanhood.
And you shall feed the gentle brood
From out your hand – content they’ll be
Only to coo their songs to thee.
7. I the Lie
by Kevesha
I cover myself in the cloak of truth,
To deceive the minds of gullible youth,
I live in their mouth, mind and soul,
To spread my name to both young and old.
I steal their joy and break their hope,
And quench all will to cope,
With the disruption caused by my name,
Slowly driving them insane.
I am Lie and from truth I stole,
To take advantage of hearts so cold,
I tell them what they wish to here,
And let the naked truth disappear,
They want her not so in a well she hides,
To save her flickering dwindling pride,
So from behind your ears my name you’ll hear,
Coating your life with layers of fear.
I the Lie; you’ll curse my name,
For through your life I’ve caused you pain,
But blame me not, you are to blame,
For you chose to accept me the way I came,
Like lovely Truth in a pretty picture frame.
8. Lying “Man” Tality
by Crystal Holland
A Lying Man….
I can do whatever I want,
But sorry my dear not you.
Believe everything that I say,
And ignore everything I do!
Just be happy and believe my lies,
I promise what I’m saying is true!
And don’t think for a second if you were me,
That I’d take this from you!
I’m truthfully lying and avoiding blame..
Oh that’s just ole what’s her name!
It’s all you,
you’ve gone insane!
You don’t trust me that’s a shame,
I didn’t do what I really did do!
I’m lying, I’d never lie to you.
Poems about Lying and Liars
Liars come in all shapes and sizes, and these poems about liars and fakes explore the different types of lies and liars that we encounter in our lives.
1. Liars
by Joelene Smith
The lies they tell
like poison off their tongue
they spin them round and round
Like a Merry Go Round
the faster it goes the harder you fall
taking a piece of you one at a time till all that you are is crumbs
pain deeper than the ocean
torn open like a new wound
never to truly close again
to be reopen and be torn again
Defenseless
without a care
the truth sets you free?
where is the truth
how many more wounds are left to be ripe open?
too many to count on two hands
etched so deep the mind does not remember them all
how many more years of pain is left?
will this ever end
hell on earth they say
in end the end there is Hope
2. Truth Does Not Come From Liars
by James George
Good and evil are a dichotomy shared by
religion, ethics, philosophy, and psychology
as expressed by Isaiah, a prophet.
The prophet compared terrifying warnings
of judgment and destruction buoyed by
the promises of hope and prosperity,
Without a standard defining the line
between right and wrong, humanity
experiences confusion.
Liars know this, and they seek to exploit
human weakness and intellectual gaps
by saying dark is light and bitter is sweet.
If liars win, humanity will be blind and die
in the bitter end, without redemption,
never knowing the truth.
Listen, who are telling lies and are caught,
and who is telling the truth,
and you will know the correct path.
3. Lying Hurts the Liar as Well as the Lied To
by Caren Krutsinger
Lying hurts the liar as well as the lied-to.
You think it’ll only be a one time thing, but it rarely is.
Injuring and incensing people.
Never fully being a hundred percent believed again
Gaining trust is almost impossible afterwards
4. Pretty Little Liars
by Anonymous
Four young girls, their lives fall apart,
Every single time they get a fresh start,
They lost a loved one, their own best friend,
But for Allison Dilaurentis death isn’t the end.
Four young girls, protect the ones they love,
There’s always evidence to get rid of,
So if they lie to help others, is lying okay?
Well, there’s always consequences at the end of the day.
Four young girls, blackmailed by “A”,
The truths are released if they don’t obey,
But they must remember, they should not forget,
The truths come out if they report A’s threat.
Four young girls, trust no one or die,
Because eventually everyone needs to lie,
Might think they’re alone but others are near,
Watching them closely, trying to hear.
Four young girls, sharing a secret,
People find out, even if they keep it,
Because people are listening to what they say,
Everyone, everything, everywhere, everyday.
Four young girls, putting puzzle pieces together,
But truth doesn’t remain constant forever,
What seems to be right can really be wrong,
Best friends could be enemies all along.
5. Mother’s a Liar”
by Sanonda
Mother’s a liar,
She lies about her happiness ,
She lies about everything,
To end up every mess,
She lies , to make everyone happy,
She lies and pretends that she doesn’t care,
But i can see a thousand tears,
In her eyes ,
She never says goodbye
She lies and says that she’s okay
When she’s not ,
Mom! who are you lying to?
Nobody would but I’ll go,
Everywhere with you ,
Trust me i love you.
Mother’s a liar,
She lies and says she ain’t crying ,
When she dies ,
From the inside
She lies,
She lies and says she ain’t hungry
but i know she is,
She lies to make everyone happy ,
She lies and pretends that she doesn’t care,
But i can see a thousand tears,
In her eyes ,
She lies,
She tries,
Mom! who are you lying to?
Nobody would but I’ll go,
Everywhere with you ,
Trust me i love you.
6. Liar Liar, I’m a Liar
by Anonymous
I’m so sorry; I seemed to have failed you
I destroyed your trust in me and left you to bleed
And now I sit here in this corner, lost in a world of my own
Did my heart ever beat for you?
Or have I been lying to myself all this time
My heart has turned cold as ice and feels heavy in my chest
My eyes have dulled and no life shows in them
I thought that if I kept everything from you, everything would be alright
I was wrong and look where we are now
Broken hearted and searching for an answer
My whole life is a lie and I would do anything to fix it
I let my secrets out and look where it’s gotten me
I’m being destroyed, inside and out
I wish I could go back to the start
I would ask for help but no one can help me
I’ve already crossed that line and can’t return
I’m causing you pain, I’m causing everyone pain
I’d end my life but that would only bring more pain
And I’m stuck in this web with no way out
I wanted off and wished to be free
But now I want back on, I shouldn’t be free
I’m being destroyed inch by inch, this worm won’t stop
It starts from the heart and works its way out
It’s killed me heartless and stopped me broken
I’m drifting away from reality and there’s no way back
I’d return but I just can’t stand
My body’s weak, everything’s numb
I’ve lied to you and everyone else
I’ve lied to myself and I’m choking on it now
I’m a wh*re, I’m fat, and I’m mentally unstable
How many more reasons can you handle?
These lies are a plenty, just look at my shelves
One book, two books, or would you like more
I’m already knocking at Satan’s door
And when you look towards the sky after I have passed
You’ll try and think of me but there’s no memory left
Everyone’s already forgotten, so have you
And I know now why no one remembers
My life was useless, it was full of lies
It was full of heart ache and pain and everything in between
So now I just float here in black darkness
Were my kind a like linger in pain
And we disappear like shadows,
Never to be seen again
7. Lies and the Truth
by Anonymous
Sometimes the truth hurts,
But lies hurt worse,
Truth is the light,
While Lies are the dark,
The truth is like God,
While lies are like pain,
The truth is reality,
Lies are just dreams,
Truth is fact,
Lies just fiction,
But how do you know,
How do you tell,
A lie from the truth,
8. Dark Space, Hidden Lies
by laila khelawan
I am the dark space where you hide your lies,
back very far, and deep in your mind.
Deception, sitting in gloomy extent,
creepy crawling in your thoughts,
Conscious engrossed, eating you alive
in this forever nightmare,
that will stay with you until you die
You can feel me beating, breathing
when your blood pressure comes arise,
anxiety screams.
Nail-biting panic, and nervous shivers,
fretful deciet patiently sitting,
in the dark space where you hide your lies,
back very far, and deep in your mind.
9. Why did you lie to me?
by Anonymous
Things were all fine, without a problem.
I trusted you with everything.
I thought you’d never lie to me.
This day came around and you lied to me.
Lied straight up in my face without realizing it.
You tried to cover it up, but it didn’t work, I knew you were lieing to me.
I hurt so much that I began to cry.
Why did u lie to me?
I couldn’t stand it, Inside of me I was going insane.
I told you how I felt about it and how much it hurt.
You said, “Wow, all over a little lie.”
Little lies become BIG LIES and that’s something you dont seem to realize.
You left, making me feel as if I had lied to you.
I feel like I’ve lost you in such a way that it hurt.
I don’t want to talk to you because I’ll only hurt you.
You mean a lot to me, but with lies we aren’t going to get anywhere.
Why did you lie to me?
I can’t take that you lied to me, even if it was a little white lie.
I talk to you and just speak my mind not even thinking twice about what I am telling you.
Here I am asking you to never to talk to me when inside I just wish I had you here with me.
You’re telling me you’re sorry, but all I say is, “I am sorry is not gonna cut it.”
I can’t take take you lied to me.
You mean a lot to me and I thought I could trust you.
Why did you lie to me?
Can I trust you ever again or should I just move on.
I am so confused, right now I just wished
I had you here with me even after your lied.
10. Lies Be Told
by Yvonne Hudson
Lying is second nature to you
Telling lies is what you do
Stepping on people’s heart and destroying the mind
You have no conscious at all because you’re definitely one of the evil kind
Every day you have a secret so you say but you know it’s a lie
If you couldn’t tell one you would die
So don’t even try to deny that you made up brain teasers which technically is considered a lie
Twisting minds is what you do
You really don’t know how to be true
Your mind is twisted and evil at times
What you do to others should be a crime
You need to stop playing games and criticizing others
Why are you so destructive to your sisters and brothers
Is Satan’s village your domain?
Do you have triple sixes on your forehead and your brain
If Holy Water touched you, you would burn
When it comes to the Lord you have a lot to learn
What you’re doing will not turn out well
From what I can see you’re headed straight to Hell
You need to clean up, wake up before it’s too late
Otherwise Satan will end up as your permanent date!!
Poems about Lying and Secrets
Sometimes, lying is a way of keeping secrets. These poems about lies and secrets explore the relationship between lying and secrecy, and the toll that keeping secrets can take on our lives and relationships.
1. Lies, Secrets, and Shame.
by Anonymous
A lie will always find its way to the truth,
A secret will always find its way to the ear,
And the shame, will always reach the surface.
Lies will not always be,
Belived.
Lies will not always be,
Hidden.
Lies will not always be,
Outspoken, than the truth.
A secret,
Will never
Stay a secret
A secret,
Will Always be heard,
By the one person who matters.
A Secret,
Will always be,
The one thing we always fear.
Shame will always be with us,
To remind us of our past,
To remind us of our Regrets,
Shame will reach the surface,
and Come pouring out,
Just to B R E A K F R E E.
2. My Secret Diary
by Anonymous
The thing that no mortals must ever read
Not even if they so chose to plead
My thoughts from always within
My secrets that lie wherein
I’ll never tell
Let alone yell
Of the wonders that reside
That is the source of my pride
This is for me
And for me only
Go ahead…read a paragraph or two…
And it will be the last thing you ever do…
Because none will ever read my journal
Not until my life is now eternal…
For I am the guardian of this marvelous work
Lying in wait where the shadows lurk
For I am the keeper of this wonderful book
To which none, not even the gods themselves, shall ever take a look
In this magnificent Curiosity
That is my Diary
3. Lying With Omission
by Thomas F. James
He allows only perception to label him
so all inquisitions will abruptly end.
In this protected world that has been made for him
he is Procrastination’s ally; the devil’s best friend.
Hidden agendas in the planner, Let us play pretend.
Anonymity is like a true love ,
it is his escape so he can hide at day’s end.
Self-Proclaimed nothing, his persona is generic.
He built this foundation with invisible fate
and now he thinks his mind is esoteric.
Genius of his own bubble that stays in one state.
He fears anyone who can help or any that can relate.
We will never know him or know his intentions
we only know that he chooses to isolate.
He uses silence as a weapon when he tries,
so he then has an excuse when he quits.
See this man is not a liar because he lies
he is a liar because he omits.
4. Why Do You Lie?
by Anonymous
Why are you lying?
Do you not see me dying?
Every time you lie I feel like I want to cry.
My heart can’t take no more
With your every lie I get hurt
And it’s like you no longer in love.
Why do you continue to lie?
Is that all you do with your life?
Do you devote yours to crumble mine?
Last time I heard you told her a lie too
You told her we were done
When that wasn’t even true.
You constantly lie
Like a nature of life.
Why do you lie?
Is it to hide the fact you did
some that was not right?
Is it cuz you didn’t wanna see me cry?
Or cuz about me you don’t give a damn?
Tell me the reasons behind your web of lies
Tell me the truth
Or I’ll leave you for the last time
And what I’m saying is No Lie!
5. How Bad Your Lies Hurt
by Jamie
I hope you see this one day.
The pain you caused me is one of falling tears of lies.
The lies that I believed in so very much.
You touched my heart in way no one could.
I felt some much fear in trusting you.
You promised me!!! Never to hurt me like
I have been so much in my life.
You asked me to love you and to trust “
I promise to never betray your trust.”you Said Those Words.
Sadly you lied like everything I will not reveal in this poem.
Here I sit and swallow the pain and refuse to let tears fall.
How weak dumb I am over you.
I wish after being place in nut house by your help
and few others I never forgave you.
You said you were sorry
I was there truth said you probably happy about my pain.
Let me tell you I wrote with razor in my leg worthless.
That how you left me feeling worthless and broken.
Now i curl myself up tight into ball and cry Over
you and why god dammit.
I hope you never ever feel this pain you left me in.
I hope you never feel as broken as I do.
I hope to hell that when someone walks in my life and
I feel that same way for them.
I don’t push him away over damage you caused.
If your eyes ever see this you wounder if I loved you.
let me tell you this I would of gave my life to give you
what you wanted most in life.
I loved you as much as my boys.
Hell it only my heart broken and me crying over you.!
Right now.
6. The Secret Within Me
by Mariahjackson1
Hidden in my heart,
Deepest in my soul,
Lies an angel no one knows.
Fallen and weak,
Crumpled and small,
Lies our past hidden in all.
Memories rise and they fall.
All I can do is watch myself crawl.
7. Lie and Burn
by Anonymous
Hey sweetheart
What have you been up to?
Have you stopped trusting everyone?
Have you relized they’re lying to you?
Hey darling,
You look like absolute shit,
Finally realized your friends are fake?
They’re tearing you to bits.
Hey baby,
Your lips are moving but there’s no sound,
What do you have to hide?
Don’t you know you need me around?
Hey honey
Dry the tears in your eyes
I was wondering how long it’d take you
To see that everybody lies.
So stand up already
Can’t you see the world is waiting?
And while you stand idle
Your memory is quickly fading.
We won’t remember you
If you don’t do something worth while
Everything burns, baby,
So just remember to blow up in style.
I may not love you
But I sure as hell won’t let you fade away
Come on, yippie-kai-yay, motherfucker
Lets die another day.
8. Lying to Yourself
by Anonymous
You tell yourself lies, day after day
Hiding the truth, keeping it at bay
But deep down inside, you know it’s true
You’re lying to yourself, and you know it too
You pretend everything’s fine, that nothing’s wrong
But your heart sings a quite a different song
It aches and it hurts, and it longs to be free
But you keep ignoring, and don’t let it be
The truth is hard to face, it’s painful to bear
But pretending it doesn’t exist, won’t get you there
You must face it head-on, and deal with the pain
Only then can you heal, and be whole again
Stop lying to yourself, and be true
It’s the only way to find what’s really meant for you
Embrace the truth, and set your heart free
Live your life authentically, and be who you’re meant to be.
9. I’m Not Lying
by Anonymous
I’ve tried to listen, to understand
The mystery of two people who could almost touch, almost love.
Except they have in common, trusting no one but each other.
I’m not lying when I say I tried.
I’m not lying next to you, and I know I never will.
There was a time when we needed
More than affection, though neither would admit it.
To tell the truth, it couldn’t matter less who wears
The pants or who wears the dress.
Only who becomes visible to whom.
You saw me truly, and I saw all you let me.
I’m not lying now, and I hope I never do.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, poems for lies offer a rich tapestry of insights into the human condition.
From the famous to the funny, short to long, and rhyming to free verse, these poems explore the many shades of dishonesty and their consequences.
They teach us valuable lessons about the importance of honesty, trust, and the impact of our actions on those around us.
Whether we are children learning the importance of truthfulness, adults navigating complex relationships, or simply looking for a moment of reflection, these poems on lying offer us a window into the complexities of the human experience.
