Two Worlds

My world just collided with your world. 

I just realized there are two. 

A world of truth, a world of games– 

Two different points of view. 

Each day you must enter the “real world”, 

Play a game ruled by somebody else; 

I live here enclosed in my own world of truth 

With rules that I set for myself. 

Your “real world” is built on evasions; 

Unpropped, it stands in the air, 

Held up by frantic pretending, 

And the fear that is everywhere. 

The “real world” is really a phoney 

Where an honest man is a fool– 

A world made of lies and cheating 

And no regard for truth. 

The rules are strict in my world; 

The standards are very high; 

I’d rather hear your cruelest truth 

Than to hear your kindest lie. 

Sometimes I step through the looking glass– 

When it seems the thing to do– 

For a while I play their games with them 

While my mind keeps seeking truth. 

In my world I laugh at their silly games; 

In my world I cry for them too; 

In my world I try to be honest 

Whenever I’m talking to you. 

I know my world is a dream to you– 

An impractical ideal. 

You glimpse it when you talk to me; 

When I’m gone it becomes unreal. 

But for me it’s not a daydream. 

I fight for truth each day; 

On principles I live my life. 

I fight. I win. I pay. 

The “real world” exists, but it’s all pretemse; 

The world of truth–an ideal– 

Must be created–by telling the truth. 

It exists if you make it real. 

I made my decision long ago 

Of the life I want for me. 

The world of truth is what I need 

To set my spirit free. 

But I see insecurity in you; 

You want the real and the true, 

But the need to function in both worlds 

Creates indecision in you. 

And it’s never completely settled, 

Every day will challenge you: 

A world of truth, a world of games– 

Now the choice is up to you. 

Ruth Desjardins 

1978