“The truth shall set you free.” John 8:32
A Truth may flourish if it’s nourished well
to free your mind but if a truth that’s taught
may turn to arms, to songs and sacred spells.
it can kindle blaze in crowds, bespot
the despots, untell the lies of tyrants
invoke the bully’s wish to quell dissent
with force of death and disappearance
into labour camp and savage torment.
A Truth may set you free unless the vice
of autocrats, who drown your voice in pain
can ripple through the muscle, veins and ice
of tyranny and forever clean the stains
from fabrics weaved of lies and cruelty
A Truth thus treasured turns trash to beauty
Freedom is the power to choose our own chains. Jean-Jaques Rosseau
Ferdinand Hodler
Today Lillian hosts dVerse poetics and she has given us a number of proverbs and adages to inspire a poem.
“Many hands make light work.” Adagia
“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” Poor Richard’s Almanack
“Fish and visitors stink after three days.” Poor Richard’s Almanack
“To err is human, to repent divine, to persist devilish.” Poor Richard’s Almanack
“Things are not always what they seem.” Bee-Keeper and the Bees” from Aesop’s Fables
“The truth shall set you free.” John 8:32
“To everything there is a season.” Ecclesiastes 3:1
“Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re going to get.” Forrest Gump, the movie.
22-2-22
Björn Rudbergs writings 
Powerful use of the line! Most especially, to me, these lines:
“A Truth may set you free unless the vice
of autocrats, who drown your voice in pain
can ripple through the muscle, veins and ice
of tyranny and forever clean the stains
from fabrics weaved of lies and cruelty”
This is exquisitely drawn, Bjorn! I especially resonate with; “A Truth may set you free unless the vice of autocrats, who drown your voice in pain
can ripple through the muscle, veins.” 💝💝
Just wow. Such wonderful articulation of a complex dynamic. Indeed, stand by your truth, if you lose that, all is ashes.
stunning
One word…..Putin……Bjorn, thought that was truly brilliant and timely…
a powerful poem, your first line resonates deeply and love the quote!
Brilliant work indeed, Bjorn. And that Rosseau epigraph (new to me) says so much! Salute.
Very well rendered. You. Rob, and I all picked the the same line; great minds… This fragile duplicity, two versions of truth, complicate the hell out of politics, religion, and the Law. Trump needs to be keel-hauled.
Potent lines for the hour. In AA ’tis said the truth will set you free, but it will first make you miserable.
invoke the bully’s wish to quell dissent
with force of death and disappearance
into labour camp and savage torment.
It sends a chill down the spine mainly because it is still happening in this day and time. A real pity robbery of a a people’s freedom to choose and to own can be perpetuated on a national scale. And that’s the truth today!
Hank
So many confuse being right with the truth. You have spelled it out so very well how that can happen!
I enjoyed this take on the adage, very much.
Wow!
Intriguing response to the line you chose. I also chose the same line
Much love…
Your poem overflows with truths ~ beautifully done.
“A Truth may flourish if it’s nourished.”
Love the first line and the quote.
Very potent truth! Brilliant write.
A Truth may set you free unless the vice
of autocrats, who drown your voice in pain
you built upon that line and created more wisdom and substance in this piece, Bjorn.