Mis(-chosen)chief

By Rhiannonw

Thu, 24 Aug 2023
  • 456 reads
6 comments
 

What a responsibility
to be a head of state
punishing evil
encouraging good
with mercy, kindness, pity,
leading and guiding
and issues deciding
with fairness and wisdom
and consultation;

but some become
megalomaniac
(though at first glad of a firm leader,
sadly finding him morph)
no dissent allowed
enjoy nasty mischief,
total control
rule by fear and threat and force.

They too will face
in due course,
assessment, judgement
bitterness, punishment
accountability
in the end
for how they have fulfilled
their given responsibility,

and for now
they have no-one to trust,
no friend,
lonely, alone.

The longer we live
we see such come
(their harm seems long, so long)
and go, they’re gone
soon pass out of memories,
no honour, no love.

[IP: mischief]

Certificate U
Poem
Miscellaneous
Philosophy
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Turlough on

A clever title Rhiannon.

I'm not sure if it's a good or a bad thing but the worst of these leaders do not pass from our memories. 

Turlough

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

thanks, no, of course, and yet, sometimes I think, who really remembers now Idi Amin, Pol Pot, some of the communist leaders, even Sadam Hussein. When I was young a friend was really worried that communism would spread world-wide - in an authoritarian harsh way. jSo many seem doing harm so long, but their end does come. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by Di_Hard on

I guess the longer a person is at the top, the more the End which justifies the Means for them, is just staying there. But as you say, everyone must "soon pass out of memories". Though I expect people like those you mention are, (and will be for a very long time), remembered in the countries they terrorised?

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

The temptation to do so is there, but thankfully (and the better for them) not all succumb, and some are good leaders (always qualified, as none are ever perfect in this life!).

As I said to Turlough, I suppose they are all still remembered by those who lived at the time, and of course as you say, especially those who suffered under them. But the memories dim, and certainly aren't honoured or respeced.Tthank you. Rh

 

Submitted by marandina on

"They too will face
in due course...."

 

Made me think of all the stuff going on with Donald Trump just now. You would like to think that there is no such thing as a "blank cheque" and that there is a reckoning to face for all of us in the end. Well said and thought provoking, Rhiannon. Paul

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Thank you. Yes, there is a reckoning to come.

Thankfully there are some safeguards in place in Western democracy, though sometimes the 'will of the people' isn't wise, but in some other courntries, absolute power gets to certainly rest with one man unless he faces a coup. Rhiannon