Lies and Listening

Lies and Listening
Quizmo LaGrande

The key to my indifference rests upon a broken ear.
Too little conversation, only twaddle spoken here.
Irreverent intonation, with nothing left endeared,
Chatting complications—only lies to cover fears.

The flicker of the candle’s flame dances with delight;
Now extinguished laughter, bears smoke’s trace of burning light
Swirling in amusement of what was, yet n’er to be;
Words, like smoldering ash, flamed and smothered, minus heed.

In the banter of oblivion, the dumb of people speak
Saying only words of what they want, pretending words of peace;
Hearing little more than wishes wherein others hear deceit,
Bearing blithe and useless comfort in the stupor of retreat.

In a photograph of memory, a thousand words to paint and trust?
Does the snapshot dare reveal life’s evil and unjust?
Whereas useless dissertation generates a tangled web
Of falsehood and deception when lies become unsaid.