Last summer I saw Ozymandias
It was on the left bank of the Nile
Across from Luxor. His visage
Was even more shattered than when Shelley’s friend saw it
But the archaeologists had stuck it back on
His patched-up shoulders.
I didn’t see any inscription
But maybe it had been removed to
The Cairo museum.
The bit about there being nothing around but sand
Is however completely wrong, since these days
The whole area is thick with hucksters selling
The most appalling junk to the parties of tourists
So when you thing of it, the natives really ought to be grateful to Ozymandias
Because if he hadn’t taken the trouble to put up the statue
The region would be even poorer than it is
And it set me wondering how Adolf Hitler
Might be perceived a few thousand years from now
And all the other tourists seemed to be having
Equally solemn thoughts as they gazed upon
What is styled the “colossal wreck”
And I even saw genuine despair one some faces
Though maybe they were only wondering how long
They would have to last out until
They found the
Next lavatory.
