There was a fable; told long ago;
the ruler, an arrogant and foolish man;
knew everything there was to know;
and wore the finest clothes in the land.
Approached by a corrupt deceiver;
he was told of magic material;
when woven by this magical weaver;
made a spectacular garment ethereal.
This fabric, woven, was really nothing;
the merchant claiming only wise men could see;
the honest not seeing; knew he was bluffing;
but couldn’t tell the emperor and still be free.
For the Emperor’s arrogance would not pemit;
that he would claim there was nothing to be;
for to do so, his Highness would have to admit;
that he simply lacked the wisdom to see.
So the servants seeing clothes of no stuff;
kept the horror of their discovery, inside;
the Emperor left; to parade in the buff;
and the crowd had to keep quiet and hide.
For if they told him what they saw;
he wouldn’t believe; and instead;
they’d not be allowed to serve at all;
and, likely, they’d each lose their head.
Today’s emperors are much the same;
pretending we don’t see, what we see;
and so all voters must share the blame;
with others, to whom, ignorance is glee.
No matter what be your politics;
it’s clear; and everyone knows;
all the world is now run by lunatics;
but the emperor still has no clothes.