Voices Before Viceroys

the viceroy’s forgotten whose kingdom he guards

he’s looting the lands that he holds

seminal power has been bastardised

by one who’s unworthy and bold

hounding to hell, he pillages grain

grown for the bread of them all

laughs as he does with a hoit and a toit

oh, the viceroy is having a ball

crown on the head though who here has placed

their trust in sceptred high-hand

usurper and charlatan chasing the throne

big chief thinks he’s making a stand

the natives are drumming, the smoke’s on the peaks

warpaint is blue with white cross

viceroy can number the years he has left

who needs an upstart as a boss

Selective Amnesia

wipe all slates clean and bury the past

cremate matrixed effigies down to the last

put petrol to paper and shred all the proof

delete all the files that burden the truth

electrify brains with a pulse to negate

terminate programmes before it’s too late

forgive us our sins in biblical quotes

forget all our actions but never your votes

a like with a cross is all that we need

we’ll write a new future just as we’ve agreed

on pamphlets provided to clarify years

prophetic tissue to dry up your tears

spoilt paper lies in recycle bin

trespasses tempered by just throwing in

but never forgotten all that they said

nor history rewritten although papers dead

canvassing conscience, memories last

past actions determine results of votes cast