Eat The Rich – dVerse Poets – Quadrille
Painting: archief.amsterdam
“They call me a tyrant … one arrives at a tyrant’s throne by the help of scoundrels … What faction do I belong to? You yourselves. What is that faction which, since the revolution began, has crushed the factions and swept away hireling traitors? It is you, it is the people, it is the the principles of the Revolution …” Maxilien Robespierre’ last speech to the Convention in 1794.”
Madame Smiled
Maximilien smiled,
such cherubic cheeks,
as baskets filled while
terror reigned
slice by slice
to the cheers of the
First Estate
until,
sated,
Madame could eat no more,
Public Safety now redundant
Madame smiled and chose
Maximilien for her rich
dessert,
a cut above.
©Paul Vincent Cannon
Note: Maximilien Robespierre, was the primary (though not the sole) architect of the Reign of Terror 1792 – 94 (though often disputed). The Terror produced 16.593 “official’ deaths! Madame refers to Madame Guillotine – a colloquial term. The Terror ended with the execution of its primary architect, irony indeed!
Paul, pvcann.com
Amusingly twisted.
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Love the satire
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I’m gald to get thast feedback, nice to know the satire is visible 🙂 Thank you Megha.
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My pleasure.I dont want to miss reading your poems.I read as much as I can.
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Very kind Megha, that is a lovely thing to say.
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Indeed, ironical
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Many thanks 🙂
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I too love the irony of this , wonderful!
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Very kind, thank you.
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you’re very welcome!
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Excellent! Cuts right through.
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Lol
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Justice, finally served.
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Indeed, and a cessation too.
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An interesting and terrifying period in history, Paul, and a nice dose of irony. The guillotine’s smile is not a pleasant image, neither are the baskets filling slice by slice. The last line is a gem!
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Thank you so much Kim, much appreciated 🙂
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One can never be sure of what might happen next.
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They sure lost their heads 🙂
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😀
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At least it came to an end… what a great slice of history, though the baskets filled is a terrifying thought.
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Lol, pun, after pun 🙂
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Amazing! Your poem is perfection. I’m definitely interested in reading your future posts.
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Thank you for that.
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I didn’t know Robespierre was the last one killed although truth to tell I only knew general bits of that revolution. “Be careful what you wish for” comes to mind.
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Yes, absolutely, he was maniacle, and beyond control. I gather from teh records, that the nation breathed a sigh of relief when he went.
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I didn’t know, or had forgotten that he was the last. Your double meaning of your last line is perfect. Oh, the irony (slices deeply).
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Yes, he callously sent some of his close friends to death, so it was deeply ironic when the rest turned on him, many thanks Merril.
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Darkly funny, Paul! Great read 🙂
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Thanks for that Tom, much appreciated 🙂
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I like your take on this prompt. Nice poem describing a horrid time in history.
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Yes, glad I wasn’t around for that. Thank you for sharing that.
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It was my pleasure to read thank you for sharing and following our block thank you
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🙂
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I am glad I was not alive at that time in history, anywhere.
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Yes, sends a shiver to think that no one could be trusted.
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Well written Macabre
>
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Macabre indeed, glad we’re not living back then.
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