Ode to a Scrupulous Jansenist

I wrote this some time ago, during the controversy about lying to save life, and deceiving Planned Parenthood to expose their practices.

After six months in escrow, it can perhaps, be given an airing.





The child ripped from its mother's womb,
The mother disembowelled,
The weeping, raped, dishonoured girl,
The widow, unconsoled -
You would not kill, or lie, to save,
But preened your conscience cold.

If butchering barbarians came
You'd never, never lie.
You'd tell them where and whom to find.
Better your kin should die,
Than you should risk your cautious soul
And sacred truth deny.

Truth is, for you, a holy Whole
Never to be defiled
With lies. To save your spotless soul
You sold the guiltless child,
The Jew, the Pole, The Czech, the Greek.
You never once reviled

Your quivering coward heart that prized
Abstractions, truth and such
Above life, honour, innocence,
And love, nor pondered much
On others' grief, and loss, and shame.
Your heart they could not touch.

When now, to expose a wrong, one lied,
To those who have no claim
On truth, exposing foeticide,
Where do you place the blame?
You quack your platitudes, "Two wrongs
Don't make a right." Oh shame!

So it's a wrong to save the just,
The weak, pure, innocent?
I call you coward to your face,
Propped up by logic bent.
The soldier, spy, Priest, blink at truth
To lie with good intent.

Your careful, scrupulous, timorous soul,
I'll never understand,
Your truthful tongue that licks the axe 
Which slays the helpless band
Of innocents. The enemy, once you're used?
They'll shoot you out of hand.