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The Emperor’s Same Old Clothes

The Emperor is at it again
parading naked down Whitehall
in his robes of CGI finery

whilst
politicians
sporting suits of focus-group-grey
their throats tightly knotted with old school ties
fall over themselves to spout
obsequious lies


The ladies and gentlemen of the Great British press
scatter circus tickets and doughnuts into the
gawping crowds
and then lick their sticky journalistic fingers clean
with journalistically sticky glee

whilst
their editors
with deft and witty phrase
analyse the Emperor’s left knee


The men of finance
however
are all indoors
playing pocket billiards
with their bonus balls


But the Special Branch goons
they're out in force
eying up the hoi polloi
scanning each face
against their database
for the face of a particular boy

For this boy knows joy
and this boy knows freedom
and this boy shouts
IMPERIAL BOLLOCKS!
whenever he sees ‘em



Picture
   © Stephen Hancock 2023                                                                                                                                                                Energy is Eternal Delight