Cowards live lies.
It is all they know.

It is their calling
to bear false witness
against those who can do
what cowards can not.

Cowards can not tolerate
the weight of truth.
Cowards casually bear
false witness against another.

For entertainment, attention,
and/or because
they fear their own shadows.
Cowards work overtime,
mimicking human behaviors
to conceal their disdain
for humanity.

Often with some success.
After all, deceit is what
cowards do best.

But truth be known,
cowards are best defined
by their willingness
to condemn others
to a hell they themselves
could never bear.

 

Janet Cormier is a painter, writes prose and poetry, and performs comedy. JC prefers different and original over pretty. She loves collecting stuff, but cleaning not so much. Janet also talks to strangers. A lot. Her column now appears weekly on Oddball Magazine.