Imperium
This morning I contemplated
Writing an epic poem,
Probably heroic couplets
With a Latin title,
That would describe both
The English speaking world
And the decline and fall
Of the Roman Empire.
It would show the parallels
In the retrospective heroics
Of their creation,
The bloody wars with the Germans
And the consequent
Transfer of power
From the old centre
To the more prosperous new.
Underline the descent into decadence
And the rise of a subversive group
Of protesting religious fanatics
Whose martyrs simply
Increased their following.
I searched for a word for ‘ruler’
That would equally describe Nero
Who lit the fire that burned Rome
And the President of the Republic.
I looked for parallels among the emperors
For the Prime Minister’s
Grinning caricature of vacuous sincerity.
I pondered global warming
And the plunge into the dark ages.
Finally I gave up.
It was too obvious.
Adding your comment:
The end was particularly honest and in-your-face, and I felt did the poem justice.
"a poem containing History" Apropo?
Keep writing, this was a great poem describing a poem.
