HISTORY ON TRIAL

by HL

“The past does not repeat itself, but it rhymes.”
a quote attributed to Mark Twain

In a rhyme of history, the war tested Tiberius
Waits for his predecessor to pass.
Caligula came first this time.
The madman chose the warrior
Whose time now past
Can only chant the hollow platitude,
VICTORY with HONOR.

While the Senate fakes loyalty
To save their phony asses,
Their fool carries the message,
But the real disaster waits in secrecy.
Basking in a war turned disaster,
Not German, but all the verbs
Added like historical after thoughts
Say, the emperor is irrational,

The empire is doomed.
Yet there is no victory in treason,
No savior in divination.
All the enemy deaths and blood
Cannot reverse the tragic pattern
The modern Rome didn’t get backwards
Enough, to forswear a different ending.


HL is a computer-nerd bicyclist who cranks out poetry as he rides along prairie grass and gravel roads. He says, "War is not the Answer / Ride a Bicycle," and more at his HL link here and in the left column of The New Verse News.
________________________________________