VERACITY
Inspired by Rumi
“May I borrow your donkey?”
A neighbor asked Kavanagh
Who said, “I'm very sorry,
I loaned out my donkey yesterday.”
At that moment, the donkey brayed
In the barn. The neighbor, believing
The donkey made Kavanagh a liar,
Asked “Then what is that I hear?”
Kavanagh replied, “Friend, are you going
To believe me or a donkey?”
By Rafiq Kathwari, winner of the Patrick Kavangah 2013 Poetry Award.