No Cost

No Cost

you can get away
with a little truth
sometimes
if you're clever
like a thief
stealing
change

you can get away
with a little truth
with some folks
so long
as you're nice
and you're only stealing
pennies and nickels
not
bills

so don't try
getting away
with too much truth
don't become
too greedy
and blow
your scam

don't try dumping
too much of the garbage
of truth
into their back yards
cause that
isn't nice
or neighborly
at all

keep it
in the can
the bag knotted
and the pail
tightly lidded
since the smell
which still escapes
is just enough
to acknowledge
what's inside
that we'd rather 
forget

keep
most of the truth
hidden
in your heart
maybe
your art
cause
as much as we believe
we want the reward
we also despise
the price
the labor
and the mess
that's left
behind