The Man Who Wanted To Become An Emporer Poem by Jan Oskar Hansen

The man who wanted to be Emperor

He was (is) a great president of his country, the two
presidents before him had nearly destroyed the country
one for being naïve, the other for a hopeless drunk.
The state was nearly in a state of collapse, thanks
to the kleptocracy before he took charge.
Who was this man? From a lowly functionary, he had
the ability to know something about the many
who stood in his way, ruthless and energic, he rose
through the ranks and won the highest price.
The country thrived under his leadership and the people
loved him and didn't interfere with his rule.
But his dream was much bigger, to rebuild the great
empire and dominate the states surrounding his country
Countries that once had been a part of the domain.
He was getting old (70) and had to act now.
He started a war to bring another country to heel
but soon found himself in trouble he hadn't reckoned
with the latent hatred, Europe had for his state.
When he tried to recruit his people to make a bigger
army, the people turned against him didn't share in
his dream of greatness; he had played his last card.
The end game is as follows, he can be unseated
and banished to his castle in the forest, or be shot,
deep in the cellar of Lubyanka.