The Last Honest Lie

Steel ladder.

Built it from the war.

Mud and blood footing.

Said it went to Heaven.

Thought it did.

Climbed the steel.

Hands knew the cold metal.

Blood dried on the rungs.

Good blood. Bad blood.

Said it was for right.

Climbed anyway.

Sky was blue.

Stars were cold.

Reached the top rung.

Hand out. Empty air.

Nothing there.

No door. No light. Just space.

Steel touched nothing.

Sky didn't care.

Righteousness was down below.

A word in the mud.

Blood was real. Steel was real.

Climbed down.

Feet found the earth again.

Still mud. Still blood.

Heaven wasn't there.

Not for us.

The steel ladder stands.

Points at the empty sky.

Just steel. Pointing.