The Jesters' Lie

The Jesters’ Lie

As a man, 'The Jester' lives quite a lie,
Tells friends he’s healthy, seems wealthy, and wise
But this is not true, for he’s sick once again
And this time it’s a battle he knows that he can’t win

No matter how he fights, his illness gets stronger,
Weakening him, until soon he’ll go on no longer
Doctors can’t help him, his time is soon nigh
One day soon, it seems that he will die

At night silent tears make his pillow so damp
They shine so brightly from the glow of his lamp
They are not tears of self pity nor sorrow,
But of all that he’ll never see, come the morrow

One night he prays as he’s done many times before
His head bowed down, his body covered in sores
He asks for forgiveness for sins we’ve all done
Asks for an end to the suffering of many, not one

He lies down to rest, knowing all is complete
His breathing slows, his soul admits defeat
As his body relaxes fully in its final rest
His soul rises again, he’s passed that final test

He joins others that have left and found this boon
Some were in pain, others called way too soon
There’s joy in this existence, more than humans can know
At least until we follow him, when it’s our time to go

At the ceremony that honors and celebrates his time,
Others find solace knowing that now he is fine
Many tears are shed, as you know they would
Until someone comes forth, dressed as only he could

Now the jester's young and healthy once again,
He’s a young boy, not quite a man
No one asks why he does his routine,
After all, everyone’s a jester, at heart it seems.

Jim Dorrell
6/26/09

If you're curious as to who The Jester is, may I recommend you read "The Jester" 

The rest of the poems that are about his life, love, and eventual death can be found in "The Jester Poems"