Our lies about ducks

For Teddy

We teach you ducks go ‘Quack!’ This you’ll never question. Even when we’re at the pond and you hear their laughter.

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I think of other things we tell you: you’re a sod, little monster; not the most precious thing in our lives.

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And as with ducks quacking, you’ll trust as you grow up that all the things we tell you are how things really are.

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This is how it starts, son – with our lies about ducks. How we introduce the world: its madness and untruth.