Ozymandied

Photo by Dan Wayman on Unsplash

I met an old man from the land of smiles,

Who pointed to a wreck of stones.

Beneath them lay alone a throat-cut head.

He told how that man was dead,

And read what was engraved; You shan’t take mine.

The old man cried with laughter. That man died blinded!

For time must fly and time nay thine.

My name is Ozymandias. Another King’s lie, said the same old man.

With unmighty and despair throughout this land,

Again, the dead man chanted—and failed.

But we prevailed.

We prevail. And will prevail.

And he still failed.

The floor he stood collapsed to hell.