Today we mourn the loss of Truth
who died un-noticed, forgotten and much-maligned.
Truth (age unknown) died after a long period of neglect
and abuse at the hands of humankind
who had not realised she had gone.

Despite her indeterminate age, people remarked that 
Truth seemed to have been around forever.
References to her have been found in manuscripts
covering all aspects and eras of human endeavour
right from time's dawn.

Truth had always been fragile and vulnerable
to being unfairly impersonated by half-truths, spin and fibs.
And while in earlier years she stood firm against the
tainted mimicry of her true self and dishonest ad libs
her strength was undermined.

Truth tried to speak out against deceit and
manipulation of facts that she claimed were abuse
And looked in vain for allies who would help her
counter the accusations of fake news
by any who were so inclined.

Until her death Truth was often taken for granted
and her full value was unappreciated by the masses.
Her inate value was in her ability to speak plainly and honestly
and not look through rose-tinted glasses
at subjective perspectives offered in her place.

She refused to be swayed from her conviction that
people deserved to see her for themselves,
and in later years tried in vain to be heard above the resounding gongs
of voices that had her expelled
and couldn't look her in the face.

Truth came under significant pressure to moderate
her radical convictions and purity,
And adapt to the times to become what others told her to be
as a sign of her social maturity
to continue to speak to power.

Concerted attempts were made to bully her to concede
her place in the bright light of scrutiny
or believe what they told her to believe
instead of speaking out about how what she could see
was being turned sour.

"What is Truth?" is a question that has been asked through the ages
(most notably on the lips of Governor Pilate)
in an attempt at justifying an unwillingness to stand up for her
in the face of fiscal influence or mob violence
that sought to erase
her. 

Truth is much lamented by those who find victims of lies
on the margins and in a maelstrom of misery.
She had championed their cause against politics and money, power and might
throughout the course of human history
but died in their place.

RIP Truth.