Dear Ruler

Dear Ruler,

I envy your confidence. You proceed to stand tall - with rigour. With pride.

What feels like so long ago now; that assurance, that bright glimmer of hope you had promised us - which we stepped into, so friendly - grew dim then dark, and we suddenly realized, we had always been sitting in shade.

I’ve done my part. I’ve surveyed the countless others under your reign - under your rigid rules - and it seems quite clear and unanimous: you are no longer the truth.

You are not truth! You are lies! You are deception! You are greed married to pride!

But we’ve learned to quickly look past that. And with a smile. We are just glad you are no longer powerful. Power in this kingdom lies in its numbers; you’ve lost that army.

How is it? How does it feel? You have divided yourself from your people, and before you give it a thought, what the people say is “it’s never felt so good to see freedom.”

It may not be freedom just yet, but it’s close. A stone’s throw? An evening’s promenade? I don’t know, I can only imagine some distance between here and there; but we are getting there.

We will begin our travel soon, by my measure. And no, there is no destination. We do not know where we’ll drift, or when we will find what we’re searching for. But I promise you, if ever we were to drift and in our journey, meet another kingdom, led by another ruler, be sure of it, we will stand tall with confidence and pride, long enough for them to take note but not long enough for us to take notice of an odour of deceit, like the one we had suffered with for years. Instead, we will keep moving. And on our own way.

Not yours truly, Not yours truly, Not yours truly,

The blind led astray The curve flown away The drifters