SIFAR...nothingness

☤ Deception - A Descant ☤

(The prefix des-, meaning "two" or "apart", indicates that the descant is a "second song" apart from the main melody. In popular songs a descant will often be sung at the very end to produce a thrilling climax.)

This has all the epigraphs that I have used for my story - Deception - in one place, as well as those appearing in the story and one that I simply could not fit into the tale:

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0

Deception is saddest when it appears, 
To be wrought from the bones of one's darkest fears; 
Watered by cold remorse and shameful tears,
Only remorse it fosters, as long as it perseveres.

1

Deception starts small, with a mistake or a lie, 
And yet keeps on growing, as days go by; 
Difficult it becomes to deny or rectify,
A burden it remains till the day you die.

2

Beguilement is yet another name,
Where subtle charm is the rule of the game; 
Warm words spoken, for passion to inflame,
And with soft smiles, the opposition you tame.

3

Under false appearances, when you hide,
Dissimulation is the name of your comely bride; 
Gentle is her touch, yet she is firm a guide,
Misleading is the surety, she lends to your stride.

4

Prevarication is a lie, with a fancy label,
Though the truth to avoid, it does enable; 
Frivolous is its support, you cannot be stable,
Once started, its progress, you cannot disable.

5

A sharp mind, a tone soft and cool, 
Knowledge subtly used to bluff and fool; 
Using mere words, effortlessly one does rule,
Equivocation is the lawyer's favourite tool.

6

Conversations go round and round, 
As facts and fibs, they do easily expound; 
Circumvention as ingenuity does abound,
And few answers to your questions are found.

7

Deception takes many a form,
And Concealment is a standard norm; 
A white rose shelters a cheeky worm,
And sunny clouds hide a violent storm.

8

The truth hidden behind an elegant mask, 
To know their true emotions, an impossible task;
A Façade it is, and in its fake warmth they bask,
Rarely tell the cold truth, however long you ask.

9

A planned operation, intending to cheat, 
A buried secret, you are desperate to unseat;
It is a Sting, even though it could be sweet,
Or it could burn, if the unexpected you do meet.

10

You quibble and squabble, loud and long, 
The argument sounds good, but is quite wrong; 
Dig your feet in, take a stand real strong,
Sophism it is called, in the end, will bring you down.