Souvenirs

They opened a souvenir stand
at the scene of the execution.
An enterprising soldier, having
embraced the government's
gambling-led economic policies,
declares: "Everyone's a winner!"
as he cuts the king's robe
into five-centimetre squares,
mounts them on pieces of parchment,
and, numbering each one,
offers them for sale to the public.

Business is slow, however,
and the soldier is forced
to offer them as a job lot
to some passing merchants.
"They'll be worth a fortune one day,"
he assures them.
The merchants raise their eyes,
but see no king;
only three criminals dying in the sun.
Unconvinced, they pass up
the opportunity.

©Ken Rookes