Today I Watched Democracy Die

Today I watched our democracy die. No shouts or whimpers, in just the blink of an eye, some leaders had traded honesty for deceit; not recognizing they were the ones suffering defeat. They owe their allegiance to a would-be king, who greedily awaits all the gifts they will bring. They must walk gingerly, not cause him to fuss, for those once bringing truth, he threw under the bus. You'll recognize him by his wealth of bright hair and the way he weaves fantasies out of thin air. He prefers those whose heavy reading is a Tweet, and rewards them daily with lies as their treats. You think kings don't last but they have nine lives; dining on sycophants is how they survive. Today you're liked; tomorrow love has fled. Be grateful: these days, they don't ask for your head! History shrugs, thinking deceptions can't last. But, we're living in a turmoil that can't seem to pass. Today we lost honesty; the wound still throbs. Listening closely, we can hear Lincoln sob.