Truth In The Scales 1956 Poem by Terry Collett

I met Janice
by the gates
of Jail Park
off Bath Terrace
as it was near
to the flat
where she lived
with her gran
and her gran had said
it looked like rain.

The park was packed
with kids
but we managed
to get a ride
on the see-saw
going up and down
using her legs
as pumps.

Gran smacked me
last night
Janice said.

What for?
I asked.

Well she asked me
what I had been doing
and I told her
I had been using
your catapult
and that was it
Janice said.

Why did you
tell her?
I asked.

I always
tell Gran
the truth Benny
Janice replied.

Always?
I said.

She nodded
of course
it says in the Bible
to always
tell the truth.

Once the swings
were free
we went over
and took
a swing each
and pushed off
racing each other
into the air.

I mused on what
Janice had said
as she rode high
beside me.

I told the truth
when it was safe
to do so
but if in doubt
I thought
leave it out.