Friday, April 28, 2006

Persuasion

An adjective is not an argument.
A verb does not a syllogism make.
Colorful prose may lend a rosy tint
To heaping words that mask a deep mistake.

I recognize that rhetoric is great.
It wakes up readers, makes them pay attention.
Whether you need to charm or motivate,
A metaphor or two is worth a mention.

But at the core of what you have to say,
I recommend you have some actual facts.
So when a careful jury tries to weigh
Your case they don't declare it "way too lax."

Persuasive powers alone have sometimes won,
But better to provide the smoking gun.

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