Before the emperor with golden cap
Knelt a million trees, with sap.
Once great persons, their branches bowed.
They swayed, genuflected, said aloud,
"We give you ourselves, ruler of our gap."

Before the emperor, in his mind's eye
Knelt a galaxy. "So great am I
That I can delusion lead,
Grasp these minuscule personalities."
He could not see that all had died.