A Virus And A King

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Once upon a time, in an eastern land
Reigned a king so strong and wise
That none could defy his iron hand
No voice against his own could rise

He spoke with such eloquent power
He made his subjects gape in awe
He forced all those to hide and cower
Who saw in him any fault or flaw

Across the seas with a vengeance swept
A scourge returned, with deadlier intent
Feared not the king, on his high horse he leapt
And for conquests more, eastwards he went

There with skill and gallantry he fought
In the thick of battle, with sabre bared;
For pain or death, he cared not aught;
No little village, no town he spared

Meanwhile, the invader from a foreign shore
In stealth had jumped the kingdom's wall
The king mocked it; he'd seen it before;
The vanquished foe, from last year's fall

But the unseen force had menaced the fort
Its armies crossed the moat in swarms
Of a sudden the king had found himself short
Of wits and nerves and shields and arms

The mighty "system" turned turtle and fled
Leaving the laity for themselves to fend
Some turned river banks and waters red
Some, fighting for air, met a pathetic end

Cries for help, and wails of despair
Rose in pitch, alas, there was none to hear
As the enemy's armies venomed the air
And the floundering ship had no one to steer

When thinned the ghastly acrid smoke
The king saw all round the deathly pall
And turning to the mirror, in a tremble spoke
I hope I am still the greatest of them all

So all the king's men, got down to work
Telling the laity that everything was fine
Covering with flowers, all the murk
Making their master's portrait shine

The king then appeared to his subjects' view
Choked and cried in utmost sorrow
Got down to building his fortress anew
And promised a beautiful prosperous morrow

So all was well that ended well
The king's new palace now shone in the sun
He furthered his trade of buy and sell
And lived happily ever after, with a battle well won

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