Lies - Poem #66

Emperors and Kings
Princes and Serenities
Commissars and Presidents
  Chairmen and Potentiaries

all lie for it in their nature;
Each year I celebrate Westie’s  great victory at Tet;
marvel that Iraq took only a few weeks
‘til “mission accomplished.”

Still I feel unease remembering a previous life
the crowds, the dusty roads of that ancient Egyptian village
drinking and celebrating
while lustfully taking her in the street

For, you see, the Palace had announced
“Antony and the Queen are winning in Greece.”
And we partied on, reveling
until Octavian’s legions were at the gates.

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