Counterfeit coin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The Closest To The True
In trickery, pretenders take as thieves.
They look to Eden, follow serpent’s style.
The closest to the true is what deceives.
The cheat, by crafty counterfeit achieves,
And rakes the real away to his own pile.
By trickery, pretenders take as thieves.
By sleight of hand, they hide what’s up their sleeves –
A Caesar stabbed by friend with Brutus smile.
The closest to the true is what deceives.
Another’s nest, the cuckoo lays and leaves
Its egg to warm, then hatch, then raise the while.
By trickery, pretenders take as thieves.
Two seeds, almost the same, bring shock or sheaves.
A tare in place of wheat wins some by wile.
The closest to the true is what deceives.
A man or devil sits around, conceives
A change, an imitation, subtle guile.
By trickery, pretenders take as thieves.
The closest to the true is what deceives.
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* Parable of the wheat and tares – Matt.13
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© Dennis Lange and thebardonthehill.wordpress.com, 2013.
The Bard on the Hill 
Very astute observations
One of your best, Dennis! And, well, true too.
Thank you both.
Well written bard.
Thank you.
What an excellent poem … what a powerful line:
‘The closest to the true is what deceives.’
Thank you! I like villanelles because one can repeat a line like that to drive the point home, like preaching a sermon.