The hardest path is sometimes the shortest
Truth to be told or a falsehood to conceal
Heavy heart and conscience plagued
In either case the result may be the same
Honesty a best policy but hurtful, even damning
Deflection and obfuscation a shield too heavy to bear
For those who’ve been raised to be open and deal plainly
A long path, it’s true, may be harder for some
But those who’ve walked the short one both ways or either
Have found it’s a burden that can weigh them down
Perhaps for a lifetime, they’ll know better when it’s done
Some nights, in bed, staring into the dark
Regretting the consequences of those past actions, they’ll see
How a ceiling bears a load that could bring it down while they wait beneath
Lanning Lee 