Raleigh Rambles

Truth Responds

Mail Art Titled “Truth”

for John Dancy-Jones

Truth comes to me in the mail

wrapped grey in hand-made paper,

a gift and memorial

from an old friend to his friends,

to those who remember all

his letters, lovely labors.

Truth kept over time will tell

beautiful truth without end.

Or so it seems. It could end.

Or rather crawl like a snail.

Steady. Even on razor’s

edge, it makes a slow slick trail.

Truth can be like that, my friends.

Gaps here and there, serial,

zigging, zagging, circular,

and like this art, not for sale.

Pick it up later, send again,

Truth, and all it recommends,

in a phrase—whole or partial—

in a stamped posted parcel

sent from friend to distant friend.

Paul Jones

Thanks so much to my dear friend Paul Jones for sending this poem after receiving Plague Daze, and Beautiful Truth, two pieces of pandemic mail art. Paul is retired as professor and digital librarian at UNC-CH, and is an accomplished and widely published poet.

March 9, 2021 - Posted by raleighnaturalist | literary, mail art | John Dancy-Jones, paul jones