The Man Who Would Be King

He is a prince who would be king,
Partly because Daddy could not,
But mainly because he is sure
That like David, God has anointed him to rule.

He looks in the mirror and sees
A perfect image of royal mien:
Tall, handsome, with a touch of gray
At the temples.  (He dyes his hair.)

He really would rather be king of admiring subjects
Than a political leader of a fractious republic.
He tries not to make definitive statements
As to what he might do if he became president.

Announcing plans that might trouble anyone
Is a risk he is reluctant to take,
Not only to avoid criticism, but
To preserve the kingly image of himself.

He has read The Prince,
Following Machiavelli's advice
To crush his competitors
Until he is the only person standing.

But of course he did not do
The dirty deeds himself.
He relied on ruthless courtiers
To smear, attack, and destroy.

His handlers try to keep him scripted
Because he tends to insert foot in mouth.
In weak moments, he reveals how little
He understands the concerns of the people.

Perhaps it is too bad that
We do not have a parliamentary system
So that he could bring in a hired gun
To run the government and take the flak.

If he succeeds in his quest,
We will face the great unknown
Of what he might deign to accomplish,
Which may very well be nothing of substance.