Don’t ever give a reader
all the facts.

A good falsehood,
larded into the meat of the tale
like a dose of belladonna,
will make the readers’ pupils
grow wide.

They’ll convince themselves
they’re seeing deep
because of how much light
is getting in.

You’ll be a hero!
And
a million times
a million lies
inlaid in a base of truth
makes a heroic body of Work.

Make it vast enough
and it’ll give you time,
while the adulation and praise
for your vulnerability rolls in
to sit back
and try to differentiate
what’s a lie from what is true
at your uncomfortable leisure.