"The handwriting on the wall may be a forgery"

This quote by Ralph Hodgson is a metaphor for an indication or omen. It recommends that something bad will happen, which it may not be real or authentic. The expression "handwriting on the wall" is originated from the scriptural story of Daniel, in which a mysterious hand appears and composes a message on the wall of the palace. The message is analyzed as a caution of impending doom for the Babylonian king. Hodgson's quote suggests that the warning might not be genuine, which it might be a forgery. It recommends that the caution might be an incorrect alarm, or that it might be an intentional effort to trick. In either case, it is a tip to be careful and to take any warnings seriously.