The Emperor's Face

Many decades ago, I wrote a poem/story entitled the "Emperor's Face"

In a far off land, in a distant time, the people knew their leaders. We, in our narrow sense of being, might say they selected, or elected, those leaders. But that was not the case.

There came a time when the old emperor died.
As was the custom, the people made pilgrimage to see the new Emperor's face.

In a small village there lived a boy.
As the road outside his house began to fill with people,
he asked his parents where the people were all going.
"Why, they are going to see the new emperor," was the response.

"Are we going? I would like to see the Emperor's face." the boy said.

But the boy's parents were blind, and the trip was long and the roads rough.
So the told him they could not go; even if they did, it was their destiny -- they had known it their whole lives -- they would never see the Emperor's face.

As they spoke, the boy looked upon their faces ...
and was surprised at the manner in which they spoke.
It was an experience desired by all the people of the realm.
Yet ... in what others might see as loss, his parents seemed content.

The boy sat in his doorway and watched as the marching crowd grew larger.

He sat. He looked inside at his parents -- calm and content.
He sat but became impatient.
He had never disobeyed his parents.
They had said they were not going -- they could not go.
It was their destiny to never see the Emperor's face.

He sat -- and he thought.
He considered their words.
"They" could not go.
"They" could not see the Emperor's face.
"They" but did that mean, or mean to include, "he could not see?"
They could not see. But he saw just fine.

Thus it was that he determined he would see the Emperor's face.
He would leave his parents and journey alone.
He was going to see the Emperor's face.
So he announced his plan,
and without awaiting a response,
ran to the road and pushed into the crowd.

"Impudent Boy," shouted an old woman,
"do you know your place?"

"You're going to see the Emperor's face," he shouted.
"We're going to see the Emperor's face," he shouted.
"I'm going to see the Emperor's face," he shouted.
And with that he began to push his way ahead.

Watch it boy --
keep your place --
you'll be the last to see the Emperor's face.

He pushed to the edge of the precession ...
he ran along side ...
as he passed he could hear the shout:

Watch it boy --
keep your place --
you'll be the last to see the Emperor's face.

This il-mannered lad, ran out of place
He'd be the last to see the Emperor's face.

Across the hill, and rivers and streams ...
the boy continued to go where the people had gone.
He was going to the castle
He knew the place ...
the place where he would see the Emperor's face.

Rude boy, il-mannered tike.
the orderly people had never see the like.
For it was said, in this land of theirs'
everyone knew their place.
Mor eimportant,
they knew to keep their place.
Yet here was this boy ...
who passed them all ...
He was out of place ...
Determined to see the Emperor's face.

Watch it boy --
Learn your place --
You'll be the last to see the Emperor's face.

When he arrived at the castle he did not stop.
He passed the guards who saw his face.
This boy who didn't know his place.

Into the court yard he ran ...
ahead of him the High Imperial Stand.
Where is the man?
Where is his face?
Where would the Emperor have his place?

As he ran he heard exclaimed:
"We've seen the face.

The boy turned to the sound and then looked around.
Where was that place --
Where would he need to be ...
to see the Emperor's face.

He ran past the ministers who held their place.
He ran past the guards guards -- they kept their place.
As he ran he heard exclaimed:
"I've seen his face."

He ran to the stirs and to the highest place ...
He was now bound and determined to see the Emperor's Face.

Atop the stand he looked about.
He could see the people and pleased.
"I've seen the face." he'd hear ...
and he would see the people near yield their place ...
and each in turn would take that place ..
for the people were orderly and all knew their place.
The boy stood and examined each and every face.
He'd found a place, and held his place --
until each had seen the Emperor's face.

At home, his parents heard the returning crowd ...
Their destiny fulfilled ... they were made aware.
Their son had found his place,
He was the last to know Emperor's face.















.