Wednesday, April 15, 2009

A different historical view

So this really has naught to do with poetry

But imagine yourself as a historian 500 years from now.

How will you see the USA? We mention "end of empire" as if it's an inevitability -- but then we think -- heck, Rome lasted a gabillion (okay, 1100 to upwards of 2000) years -- as a realy & influential nation, it probably had a good 6-800 year run. First in Rome proper and then as Byzantium. Which gives me pause.

England was the dominant power in Europe/the World since the defeat of the Spanish Armada until the end of WWIish. Certainly by the end of WWII they had handed the mantle to us (that's US), a former colony (and a rebellious one at that).

Those of you unfamiliar with the history of Rome might not know that when power began to be shared in the East and West (co-Caesars and co-Augusti and all that -- if you really want to get the digs, go here) there was conflict. War even. And that the (new) Eastern (part of the) empire felt free, independent of, and more progressive than the Western one. And that after a while, all the stuff done in the West simply came out of the East.

We've reversed that, of course, but I think it might be best from a future-historian view to look at the US as not separate and distinct but simply the Western United Kingdom.

Then our seemingly rapid descent into decadence makes much more sense.

and I'm proud to be a Western United Kingdomer
where at least my water's clean
and I won't forget my British folks
who made up laws for me. . .

6 comments:

Jeff said...

King Arthur: How do you do, good lady? I am Arthur, King of the Britons. Whose castle is that?
Woman: King of the who?
King Arthur: King of the Britons.
Woman: Who are the Britons?
King Arthur: Well, we all are. We are all Britons. And I am your king.
I heart google books.

G. M. Palmer said...

I thought we were an anarcho-syndicalist collective. . .

Jeff said...

So bring back the Stuarts or are we going to have to go all the way back to before the Normans?

G. M. Palmer said...

Oh for the start of things? I suspect, just like the Romans, it'll be caught up in some weird, semi-accurate-mythological BS. Most of the legendary kings are full of stories the equal of Romulus and Remus. But I'd say our bit of Western Civ has had a fairly lengthy run. . .

Neutrino Cannon said...

Fine stuff, but I mentally read the bit of verse at the end with the cadence of Okie from Muskogee, and it didn't work and this gave me cause.

G. M. Palmer said...

No, no, neutrino -- it's to the tune of "Proud to be an American" :D