I wanted to compose an allegory
About a king who would not heed advice
And punished his wise counsellors, but, sorry,
I can’t. The image just turns out too nice.
The angry tyrant who would blame his neighbour
When dreadful plague is spreading through the land…
The literary trope I would belabour
Does not come near. I hope you understand
That I could speak of wicked spells and curses,
Of evil wizards, but, at last, I’m stumped
Because reality is so much worse. It’s
Not magic, it’s not mystery. Look, Trump
Stopped funding to the W.H.O.
That’s further than my metaphors can go.
Tom Juniper Poetry 