The Lie

Art begins with a lie
The separation is you plus me plus what we make
Look into lightbulb, blink, sun’s in your eye

I want a rare sky
vantage point free from misconception
Art begins with a lie

Nothing to lose, spontaneous rise
of reflection, paint the picture
of a lightbulb, or eye the sun

How to fuel the world, then die
Distance yourself from artfulness
How? Art begins with a lie

The audience wants to cry
when the actors are real & passionate
Look into footlight, then feed back to eye

You fluctuate in an artful body
You try to imitate the world’s glory
Art begins with a lie
That’s the story, sharp speck in the eye.

(C)1989, Anne Waldman