AS YOU RECITED

AS YOU RECITED

was following you
up the hill,
climbing, climbing,
as you recited

but then
looked back (fatal
flaw) only to
realize,
what was a mighty river,
now, barely a stream,
now just a
couple of intrepid
stragglers,
the number diminished
so many disappeared
and now

just you and I until
with shock I
realized
that even you
had, lost heart, had
lost faith, or
it was
always a con

not willing
to die
upon
that hill

the whole of humanity
regimented, controlled,
faithfully in
line

told
what to do
marching off
to war
for Empire

to shed their blood
die in
droves

that power never
show
its
powerless face