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video by Andrew Benson Brown
poem by Evan Mantyk

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The Reincarnations of Donald J. Trump

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I. 218 B.C.

Above the mellow grass, cliff faces soar
Like walls to house a huge primeval god.
The pass into the valley is his door
Through which a hundred thousand soldiers plod.
Their war horns echo, ominous to ears
Of villagers who stand as still as stone;
At once they rush around and shout their fears
Until they are resigned that they’re now owned
By these invaders swarming through the Alps
(In times of utter panic, full submission helps).

“What are those things?” they ask in disbelief
To see such massive creatures lumber in;
It brings them fascination mixed with grief
To see the tube snout, flap-ears, and strange grin
That have been brought from Africa to strike
At Rome’s Republic—crossing first at Spain
Then trudging on a thousand-mile hike
To clutch their foe and rain down epic pain.
These awesome elephants with mounted archers,
However, weren’t most prominent among the marchers.

One stood out as the helmsmen steering all:
Great Hannibal of Carthage, lean and sharp—
A natural commander quick to call
Out orders but not needlessly to carp.
His ready eyes pierce many hundred miles
To Rome, his looming goal and fated doom.
His armies throng in morning light; he smiles
To see the edelweiss are in full bloom.
Some villagers in deference approach.
He says, “Apologies, my friends, we must encroach.”

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II. A.D. 1796

Though pale-faced locals do not smile back,
Their mayor bows and offers up his sword;
His glances look for signs of an attack
But do not find them on this decked-out lord.
He sees instead the face of confidence
With flag and uniform: red, white, and blue.
Serenely his new liege’s words commence:
“I am a Marshal of the French and you
By now must know the name Napoleon.
He sends me here to find out just which side you’re on.

“He gives to you your freedom from the past
Corruption and injustices you’ve known.
He told my men and me, don’t be a pest
To you, respect your land and all you own;
So if we plunder you, we would face death.
This message shall be brought to all of Europe,
Enlightening the world to our last breath.
Your wealth and homes we will protect, not use up.”
The locals chatter, thoroughly amazed,
And eyes of younger ones look up tear-filled and glazed.

The vast Republican army rests there well.
Young men come close, inquire about enlisting;
And many one day will to join the swell
That forms across the continent, persisting
To elevate an Emperor of all…
That is until the wave sinks to oblivion,
The waters never rising from their fall—
The Waterloo that wrecks Napoleon.
For now, though, feet march on in harmony
To join another army soon in Tuscany.

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III. August, 1943

At last, the marching stops. Then infantry
And lines of tanks stream in past ghastly homes
Eviscerated by artillery.
Through empty window holes a spirit roams,
Soon banished by the joyfulness that comes
On soldiers’ faces flush with victory
And glad to meet their allies, British chums,
Upon a dusty city street in Sicily.
There pointing where to go from on his tank
Is General George Patton sporting a three-star rank.

Reporters, soldiers, townsfolk gather round,
Anticipating his remarks; and he,
For his part, plans to perfectly astound
Them with accounts of just how gallantly
The U.S. Army has performed, and how
It reached the city sooner than the Brits
Did. But, awaiting someone, he for now
Chats with the press who’ve come. His sharp eye flits
From badge to badge and notices a Russian
Reporter, tearing Patton from his glib discussion.

The Russians, allies now against the Germans,
Bring with them power from the East
But also bring their godless party sermons
That are no better than the Nazis’ beast.
Within his mind’s eye, Patton sees what looms:
A force bent on destroying human nature
That fills one hundred million tear-stained tombs;
A century of stinking lies that torture.
He shakes it off, returning to the present,
Addressing everyone with manner rough but pleasant:

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IV. January 6, 2021

“The fake news media suppress the news.
They have their own opinion, I have mine.
We used to have a fight, express our views;
That’s how it always worked and that worked fine.
But now they’re more like communists, who won’t
Report that hundreds of thousands gather here;
These crowds know there is something wrong and want
Elections that are free of fraud and clear
Of any hint that ballots were abused,
Were harvested, were forged—egregiously misused.”

Concluding his remarks, Don Trump calls for
A peaceful fight to win the people’s trust
By marching to the legislature’s door
And simply asking for what’s fair and just;
But little does he know that traps are laid:
The Speaker of the House, the FBI,
and certain generals have not yet played
Their hands. They watch with eager eagle eye
In hopes that riots will destroy this movement
That sees a land made “great again” as an improvement.

The driver tells him that it is not safe
If they continue to the Capitol building
As planned. The shackles of reality chafe
As Trump now sees he’s trapped—the rage ungilding
For just a moment, then it’s gone; he knows
He is not in this for himself, nor for
A single party. But he hears his foes
Are laughing at his useless marching corps.
The shadows cast by birds of prey above
Fly ravenously round the nation’s turtle dove.

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V.

“Who is that?” he asks while looking out,
Through trees, at evening’s blinding final ray—
A silhouetted figure rides a route
Just out of view, flanked by a vast array
Of followers. A man of flesh or light?
The one who lived in legends come at last?
Who lifetime after lifetime slips from sight
Into the misty future from the past?
Who is it gathering his forces there,
Existing less in form than in the troubled air?

It is the one this soul has always followed,
Who now retakes the high ground and who holds
Within his one hand all that’s holy, hallowed,
And heavenly, emitting beams of gold;
Who holds within the other hand a scepter
Unleashing crushing force from warrior angels
Splitting to bloody shreds the Marxist specter
While flying from ten thousand deadly angles.
He has returned, the Emperor of Light,
Who’s come to save us all, including this same knight.

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Evan Mantyk teaches literature and history in New York and is Editor of the Society of Classical Poets.

Andrew Benson Brown‘s epic-in-progress, Legends of Liberty, chronicles the major events of the American Revolution. He writes history articles for American Essence magazine and resides in Missouri. Watch his Classical Poets Live videos here.

NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets.

The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary.


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27 Responses

  1. Mark Stellinga

    An excellent collaboration by two of the SCP’s most talented members, and on a subject that relates to each and every patriotic person that’s paying attention. VERY impressive, Evan & Andrew. Very stirring, and quite a technical feat, I might add, ABB. Great job.

    Reply
    • ABB

      Thanks, Mark. Have already gotten one negative comment on the channel, that the poem and production are both “slop.” My fondest wish is that many more libs will spew their rancor upon it. By incurring their animus, we ensure their attention.

      Reply
  2. Roy E. Peterson

    I cannot imagine a greater poem for the ages with an epic depiction transcending time and space while focused on the return of one who reflects the best of all possible leaders having defeated the secret state and those who allowed evil to happen in the intervening time. This time I hope to see a cleansing of those who preyed upon their own people. This poem is mesmerizing for its scope, depiction of eras, and unerring direct targeting. This poem is worth the highest of praise not only for the superb form and structure but for that for which it stands!

    Reply
    • ABB

      I loved Evan’s poem as you do, Roy, and hope this production will lead more people to it.

      Reply
  3. Joseph S. Salemi

    Epic poetry combined with panoramic Vistavision — quite a powerful mixture! Donald Trump is indeed a world-historical figure, and seeing him as the reincarnation of past triumphs is right on target.

    What I’m worried about is too much kindness and forbearance and mercy and forgiveness from our new leadership towards the verminous scum that we have just beaten. Some enemies are honorable and worthy of respect even in their defeat. This is not the case with Fauci, Millay, Wray, Biden, Pelosi, Obama, Harris and scores of other creeps who deliberately tried to wreck the United States and destroy its people.

    Let’s hope that our RINOs, fake conservatives, and pietistic religionists will not have Trump’s ear.

    Reply
    • ABB

      Now is the time to crush the left and take back our institutions. There may never be another chance like this one.

      Reply
  4. Cheryl A Corey

    A great sequence of poems made even more outstanding with ABB’s recitation and video accompaniment!

    Reply
  6. Cynthia Erlandson

    Fabulous collaboration of Evan’s and Andrew’s knowledge and insights into history’s connections, with great art selections and video production.

    Reply
    • ABB

      Thanks Cynthia. AI is still bad at doing faces, so I tried to show backs of heads as much as possible. Not perfect, but it’s the best I can do for now.

      Reply
  7. Julian D. Woodruff

    These days, 4 years is not much to accomplish the things Trump says he wants to do. We may wind up being grateful he gets done as much as he did in his first term. Joseph points out that there is justice that should be meted out, but to add to his list, there should be merciful justice and appropriate compensation for all the political victims of the Biden administration. It would also be really good if by the end of Trump’s 2nd term, the whole of the electorate realizes the extreme folly and danger so many Democrat policies and ideals (better: misguided beliefs) represent.

    Reply
    • ABB

      Polk did everything he promised in one term. That’s the only example I can think of, but it shows that it is possible. Here’s to hoping!

      Reply
  8. Brian A. Yapko

    I loved this poetic set when it first appeared a little over a year ago. With Trump’s election this set has found new and happy relevance and it is particularly wonderful to see Evan’s talents brought to life via the marvelous production and reading by Andrew Benson Brown. Gentlemen, your collaboration has produced a wonderful and thought-provoking tribute to a great man. May his years in office bring our country many blessings. And inspire even more great poetry!

    Reply
    • ABB

      I’ve wanted to visualize this poem for a while and it seemed like the perfect time. I find myself giddily optimistic in a way I wouldn’t have thought possible a few years ago.

      Reply
  9. Mike Bryant

    Well I agree with everyone that this production is magnificent… I watched it on the tv and it was great. The words, images and music were perfect. I would really love to watch you, Andrew, put one of these together… maybe you could do a how-to video?

    Anyway, I especially like that you used the word “Myth” in the title, Evan. All of western civilization was built on myths. Early Christians subsumed many of the Greek myths. C. S. Lewis had plenty to say about myths. As. A boy he was particularly enamored of Norse Mythology. Lewis said, “Reason is the natural organ of truth; but imagination is the organ of meaning.”

    When we lose meaning, we lose truth… and when truth means nothing then reason dies. Maybe it’s time for a return to reason, to truth and especially to imagination that can give us meaning.

    Great job… I just love that free speech seems to be making a comeback… we were an early adopter of it!

    Reply
    • Joseph S. Salemi

      Absolutely correct, Mike. Half the Old Testament is mythology, and much of the rest is garbled historiography re-imagined in mythic terms What is fictive can carry real truth, in mimetic dress.

      Reply
    • ABB

      A how-to video is a good idea, thanks for the suggestion. Much of that is increasingly involving me banging my fists when the AI can’t follow basic prompts to changes aspects of an image.

      Chat GPT’s new Sora video-maker is really impressive for what it is. In a few cases I just plugged in a line or two of Evan’s unaltered and used that as a prompt, and it spat out something pretty decent.

      Reply
  10. Bob Elkins

    So, soon the felon takes the throne,
    Bringing a court of clowns and fools.
    Democracy may soon be done
    By means of oligarchic tools
    And maga mischief’s false depone.
    Beware of promises unkept
    And advisors wholly inept
    With agenda to deconstruct
    Our fathers’ republic construct.

    Reply
    • Joseph S. Salemi

      Ah, here comes a leftist jerk
      (Bob Elkins) with his lousy work.
      He thinks that “throne” and “done” make rhyme,
      But that is not his only crime.
      “Depone” can’t function as a noun,
      You half-assed imbecilic clown,
      Neither can “construct,” and what’s worse,
      Your metrics are a blight and curse.
      Line seven limps just like a cripple,
      Or someone on a major tipple.
      Bob, are you in a fearful trance?
      Trump’s got you shitting in your pants?
      Well, that’s good for your leftist soul —
      Now go and find a toilet bowl.

      Reply
      • Bob Elkins

        Dear Joseph – I am sad that you feel the need for such a vituperative attack on my earnest comment and the ad hominem attack as well, especially since your unfounded assumptions about me are quite wrong. I have been monitoring Mr. Trump’s activities since he and his father’s conviction in 1973 federal court – have you? It’s a fifty-one-year history of wrongdoing and not the example for my children, grandchildren and on to emulate, I hope not yours either. I am also sad that you are so unhappy and your life is so miserable and I hope for better times for you.

  11. Joseph S. Salemi

    A comment may be “earnest,” but also stupid. What “unfounded assumptions” have I made about you? I described your misuse of English, your bad metrics, and your very obvious dislike of Trump — all of which are quite obvious to anyone who reads your slipshod poem.

    You, on the other hand, make the unfounded assumptions that I am unhappy and miserable. On what do you base that, other than your ideological notion that anyone who opposes your viewpoints and satirizes them must be wretched? In point of fact, I have been blissfully happy since November 5.

    Trump is President. Just suck it up, Bob.

    Reply
    • C.B. Anderson

      This Elkins melt-down is precious. Bobby, a self-proclaimed Trump historian, would have found a much richer vein to mine had he delved into Biden’s legacy of criminality. To some extent, it’s understandable that persons who have accomplished nothing would resent anyone with many great accomplishments, and there must be a reason that the term “Libtard” was coined.

      So, Bobby, I hope we haven’t heard the last of you, because you amuse us.

      Reply
  13. James Sale

    Wonderfully epic and I love the threads of history being intertwined in these ways; the reading and production by ABB is also awesome. The work against the Woke is really gaining focus – love it!

    Reply

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