Dead Men Do Tell Tales

Dead Men Do Tell Tales

 I saw, the rot of sad, deep selfish desires,
 burning endlessly in clever fires
 Piles of cash a tall mountain high
 stolen by those that cleverly steal and lie
 six lying days every week , 
 while they race into church pretending 
 to be ever so mild and meek

 The preacher crying all to give so much more
 while he lives in a mansion with a golden door
 drunks living with no other life
 have sacrificed family and wife
 naked women on the the street,
 selling their pride and body like meat
 hustlers getting rich selling poisonous dope
 as they hang themselves with an evil rope

 I looked for solace and found there was none
 just endless cowards crying on the run
 A world teaching wrong is so damn right
 blind monkeys never seeing the light
 dancing in fruitless trees,
 tree-rats eating with relish their rotting cheese

 Looking for Spring to bring life anew
 I too am blind and without a damn clue
 a fool holding onto a false hope
 on a tight leash and even shorter rope

 Where is the miracle we each think can come
 we see it shining there for some
 A treasure glaring in the glimmering Sun
 gifted not stolen by guile and a gun
 So I finally turned to family for relief
 ease my Soul, winter in my long lost belief
 that Life must give us all a saving line
 other than more food when we sit to dine

R.J. Lindley
Nov 9th, 1984

Copyright © | Year Posted 2015



Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

Date: 9/24/2015 1:08:00 AM
A vivid image in a romantic poem. Much enjoyed. Congrats on making POTD!
Login to Reply
Promise Avatar
Rainbow Promise
Date: 9/24/2015 1:17:00 AM
Was typing under Alabi's romantic poem for 9/24/15. Krzysztof how now the comment does' match with yesterday's. A sure switch when clicking on submit!
Date: 9/23/2015 6:55:00 PM
Powerful truth about today's happenings. Congratulations on making Poem of the Day. Rainbow.
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 6:40:00 PM
RJL, I can identify with every aspect of this. Am trying to get a poetry reading started at senior center. Read my Senior Center poems. Jim Horn
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 3:48:00 PM
An amazing piece Robert my friend. So powerful. I was hanging on every word. So many truths...Congrats on being featured today.
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 3:00:00 PM
I was reminded of how bad people can be during the rabbi's speech today(today is the Jewish Day of Atonement) and your piece reinforced it. Family is important in times of stress as you point out. Congratulations on being POTD! Peace & Blessings Matthew Anish
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 12:00:00 PM
Hello Robert!! Congratulations on POTD!! (I had not read this one before at all.) I'm very pleased to see it has been featured for POTD for sure. What a powerful and compelling message. A 7 + FAV too my friend on this quite superb write!! Cheers and Best to you and your family . . . Gary
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 8:13:00 AM
Robert, congratulations on having this beautiful pen selected as Poem Of The Day, enjoy the honor ~~
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 7:55:00 AM
Robert, it is always nice to read you skilled pen, and it is great to see you featured as the poem of the day. Big Congrats :)
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 7:40:00 AM
Robert, congratulations on poem of the day, so much truth in your words. Hugs Eve
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 7:09:00 AM
Robert, congratulations are getting the poem of the day it was well deserved:-)Alexis
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 6:58:00 AM
- Robert, a excellent poem (7) - Congratulations on your p.o.t.d. !! - I wish you a great day :) - hugs //Anne-Lise :)
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 3:53:00 AM
WOW, congrats on POTD
Login to Reply
Date: 9/23/2015 1:10:00 AM
Back to congratulate you on POTD.
Login to Reply
Date: 9/21/2015 1:28:00 PM
This is beautiful harsh truth. I try and not believe the church part. People will always sin, even pastors and church goers. We must have a childlike mind to receive God's word and look past what we have learned from the knowledge tree. Even with that debate, excellent poem as always!
Login to Reply
Date: 9/21/2015 12:38:00 PM
Excellent, excellent - the theme and the rhyme are both dramatic and moving ... CayCay
Login to Reply
Date: 9/21/2015 9:34:00 AM
"Life must give us all a saving line other than more food when we sit to dine." Powerful and deep. Different images of the world around us, so sharp that one can't just brush them aside. I see this will celebrate its anniversary soon. One of your best, my friend. A poem with so much awareness and wisdom. A 7 and fav for me.
Login to Reply
Date: 9/21/2015 9:33:00 AM
Excellent poem,the rhyme and rhythm is noteworthy,and the meaning is just so grand.Its a sad state of affairs that some men like you live to experience and narrate such a rotten society.I'm putting this poem in my favorites.
Login to Reply
Get a Premium Membership
Get more exposure for your poetry and more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Radiant Verses: A Journey Through Inspiring Poetry

Member Area

My Admin
Profile and Settings
Edit My Poems
Edit My Quotes
Edit My Short Stories
Edit My Articles
My Comments Inboxes
My Comments Outboxes
Soup Mail
Poetry Contests
Contest Results/Status
Followers
Poems of Poets I Follow
Friend Builder

Soup Social

Poetry Forum
New/Upcoming Features
The Wall
Soup Facebook Page
Who is Online
Link to Us

Member Poems

Poems - Top 100 New
Poems - Top 100 All-Time
Poems - Best
Poems - by Topic
Poems - New (All)
Poems - New (PM)
Poems - New by Poet
Poems - Read
Poems - Unread

Member Poets

Poets - Best New
Poets - New
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems
Poets - Top 100 Most Poems Recent
Poets - Top 100 Community
Poets - Top 100 Contest

Famous Poems

Famous Poems - African American
Famous Poems - Best
Famous Poems - Classical
Famous Poems - English
Famous Poems - Haiku
Famous Poems - Love
Famous Poems - Short
Famous Poems - Top 100

Famous Poets

Famous Poets - Living
Famous Poets - Most Popular
Famous Poets - Top 100
Famous Poets - Best
Famous Poets - Women
Famous Poets - African American
Famous Poets - Beat
Famous Poets - Cinquain
Famous Poets - Classical
Famous Poets - English
Famous Poets - Haiku
Famous Poets - Hindi
Famous Poets - Jewish
Famous Poets - Love
Famous Poets - Metaphysical
Famous Poets - Modern
Famous Poets - Punjabi
Famous Poets - Romantic
Famous Poets - Spanish
Famous Poets - Suicidal
Famous Poets - Urdu
Famous Poets - War

Poetry Resources

Anagrams
Bible
Book Store
Character Counter
Cliché Finder
Poetry Clichés
Common Words
Copyright Information
Grammar
Grammar Checker
Homonym
Homophones
How to Write a Poem
Lyrics
Love Poem Generator
New Poetic Forms
Plagiarism Checker
Poetics
Poetry Art
Publishing
Random Word Generator
Spell Checker
Store
What is Good Poetry?
Word Counter