Our Emperor’s New Clothes, for the Weekly Challenge, Aug 23, 2025

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Our Emperor’s New Clothes

How do we mentor our burgeoning youth
in these times of unequalled stretchings of truth?
Teach them to sort out these rash acts of treason,
to approach them with heart and strain them through reason.
Teach them hating is wrong and exclusion is selfish—
that plastic’s destroying our coral and shellfish.
That medical care should be something for all
and that hoarding of wealth brings a country’s last fall.

Teach them the future is theirs to decide.
Teach them the truth of whom to deride.
Teach them that facts being taught by their teachers
may rival what they’re being taught by some preachers
and those who would rule to win their own gain,
lining their pockets again and again
with tax cuts that only extend to the rich
while the trickle-down theory develops a hitch.

Teach them to sort out rhetoric from fact.
Teach them to care and to vote and to act
to stretch out the privilege to blanket us all.
We are not alone on this spinning great ball.
Our former meddling and incredible gall
is why we’re considering building a wall
to keep out the hungry and frightened downtrodden
who come to us weary, exhausted and sodden.

They ask for asylum and our protection
from dictators who have prompted defection
much as many Americans are fleeing south
to avoid the stupidity and the vile mouth
of the dictator who is now ruining our land
with illogical thinking and truth that is canned.
Who will mentor whom in this crazy new world
once the last hateful invectives are hurled?

Our world has been sold out for profit and gain—
overseen by leaders opportunistic and vain.
Perhaps it’s our youth who will now mentor us
to sort out the truth from this internet fuss.
As in the old legend, They’ll teach the uncouth
to forsake propaganda for naked truth.
It’s hoped that our youth wake us up from our doze
to point out the truth of our Emperor’s new clothes!!

 

The Weekly Challenge Weekend prompt is “burgeoning.”

36 thoughts on “Our Emperor’s New Clothes, for the Weekly Challenge, Aug 23, 2025”

    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      Blush…I see you are from McCallen, Texas, but don’t know who this is. Is it Sam? For some reason you aren’t identified..Please just sign your name so I know who to thank.

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      1. pensitivity101's avatarpensitivity101

        Er………………………………… no.
        Driving back from town once, I had a similar instance seeing a blubbery naked man in his conservatory. I shudder every time we pass his house as I cannot un-see that gross sight.

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  11. Eilene Lyon's avatarEilene Lyon

    Thank goodness the picture is small on my phone.😝 The poem is brilliant. I do think when the old white rich guys begin dying out, we’ll see the young getting fed up with this rigged system and doing something about it.

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  13. Gerry C.'s avatarGerry C.

    The empror’s clothing cannot hide his deceit

    his body a wreck from his face to his feet.

    His ankles are bloated his face an orange mess

    he is trying his best to cause civil unrest.

    His follwers believe he has been wrongly charged

    his wonderful tarrifs arecannot be dodged.

    A convicted felon, molester and fraud.

    he hopes to get to heaven and face hi god

    he knoes he is innocent to most that is odd.

    Civil unrest, distrust and fear

    marks his regime early in this mighty career.

    Once former allies, trading partners and friends

    have been forever alinated due to his ubscrupulous ends.

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