The Emperor's Old Clothes Poem by Laurence Overmire

Constantine
Fearing
His absolute power threatened

Murdered
His wife and son
Conveniently

With the swipe of an
Outstretched
Finger:

The Christian Emperor

Whose shining example
Struck upon the mind
With the force of a conquering

Visionary
Lorded upon generations of
Wide-eyed children

Unquestioning
Belief in the right of
Divine Earthly

Kings.

~ Laurence Overmire

(Previously published in World Poet's Society, July 2006; The Potomac, Dec 2006)