Oh, Ye Fabulist, a poem by Michael Ball at Spillwords.com
Ralph Nas

Oh, Ye Fabulist

Oh, Ye Fabulist

written by: Michael Ball

@whirred

 

Praise ye noble fabulist!

You forever burnish your own life.
You hold all witnesses in thrall.
You do not stop until you are blameless.

You are the grand fabulist,
retelling events and reporting chats.
You must emerge as the hero.

Woe to those who quibble,
who question your assertions
Slam them into two defensive walls.
Raise your voice or iterate your fable.
Volume and repetition stifle all.

Breathe into witnesses’ faces
to tell your latest truths.
The many who recall differently
are cowed by your confidence.
Alas, civility is important to them.
For you, remaking deeds rules.

Minstrels and bards told tales
before fire, feast and flagon
Yet these humble narrators never
lied to audiences about shared life.
They sang other heroes, other times.

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