"The Lie" by Sir Walter Raleigh (poetry reading)

Sir Walter wrote this poem while incarcerated in the Tower of London waiting to be executed. The final picture is of his cell, the chair and desk at which he sat and wrote this poem. He was by then the most dangerous of men, the desperado, the berserker, the warrior who considers himself already dead. He could tell them the truth because he has nothing to lose. You can read his last words on the scaffold here:
http://www.bartleby.com/268/3/6.html

He asked to see the axe that was to cut his head off and remarked, "This is a sharp Medicine, but it is a Physician for all Diseases." His wife kept his head with her at all times until she died 29 years later. Here's his last letter to his wife:
http://www.rjgeib.com/thoughts/dust/dust.html

The men who "manage the estate" refers to those that run the country.

"Niceness" meant triviality, something not worth bothering about - and it still does in expressions such as "a nice distinction" meaning a difference that's hard to see.

Has anything changed? Has the world gained more insight since then, become wiser? No, it still lives the lie.

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[marvperez1983]

OMG, what a freaky voice!

[SpokenVerse]

@marvperez1983 I'll bet you talk like Speedy Gonzalez.

[nartom7]

who is the reader? what a beautiful boice

[SpokenVerse]

@nartom7 I read everything in this channel - and hope you'll listen to a few more.

[LegitPhysics]

@SpokenVerse Your voice is beautifully haunting. Thank you.

[johnalanhale5]

men are all liars, and every person thinks it not

and i believe that the truth is harder to give

than lending lie, giving truth is what walter raleigh wanted

telling the truth is supposed to be a charity, which it should not be

and if so go babbling with nonsense if you will

and not what you should do.

[miguel48464]

walter raleigh fue un pirata,un saqueador de barcos españoles

[Gesmehod]

Every time I read this poem it seems to mean something different.

A guy be so jaded he thinks nature is a liar?

That's what I mean, you see.

[MegaSage007]

I have read his words at his execution and his letter to his wife and believe 100% in his innocence and know from the sacred Scriptures TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN MUCH IS REQUIRED, so the greater the man; the greater a king will fear him and will listen to rumors at court and will rid himself of the perceived threat; so we all have to be careful to AVOID THE APPEARANCE OF EVIL lest we also be accused.

[Quantumew]

@WyldJezter

give them the lie was a common saying in his time meaning tell them they are liars. So pretty much he rambles off a bunch of people in which he would like to get in there face and tell them they are lying sacks of poo. He actually wrote one more line that was cut, as follows: Liar liar pants doth be on fireth. haha goooooooooood poem man love it!