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Tuesday, December 6, 2022

the prophet


by horacee p sternwall



the world was all wrong
until i came along
i may have been uncouth
but i told the truth

crowds came to hear me speak
down by the creek
i fed them red meat
and they took to the street

i wrote a book
and empires shook
i delivered speeches
on highways and beaches

everyone knew my name
and i had no shame
i spoke in thunder
and the world wondered

has the time come?
will this bum
unleash the sleeping forces
beneath history’s courses

all the kings and priests
the greatest and the least
took a little time
to make up stories of crimes

that devoured me like ants
i never had a chance
like those that came before me
because everybody likes a story

and the world turned
and i learned
i was yesterday’s news
i put on my walking shoes

and rejoined the ranks
of the forgotten and the blank
and stood in line
counting my nickels and dimes

of fame and friends bereft
i went down and left
town on the next bus
it was ever thus



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