Friday Fictioneers is hosted by the wonderful Rochelle, the undisputed master of what I call Sound Bite Fiction.
She sets the weekly challenge, the standard, and the prompt photo.
The idea, as always, is to write a story of around 100 words based on the picture below, which this week is supplied by Dale Rogerson.
Click here to hear the author read his words:
The Emperor’s New Clothes
the people have voted the message is clear
they tell him it’s time that he goes
the people have voted but one man can’t hear
the king sits in his palace without any clothes
the people have voted their decision is made
they are weary of the lies now exposed
his hubris once more is starkly displayed
the king sits in his palace without any clothes
the people have voted they’ve won a great prize
they applaud now the new man they chose
the scales have fallen from so many eyes
they see at last that the king wears no clothes
Sound Bite Fiction 
Boom boom! 🙂
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Thanks for your comment
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Great expression of today’s events in the USA, my homeland.
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Thanks, Tessa
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Pertinent little summary of current events. Well done.
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Thanks, Mike
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Very timing piece. Now if the emperor would just leave, we’d all be better off. 🙂
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Cheers, David, I couldn’t agree more
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I really like this story and I like how you have made it relevant to today’s USA events.
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Thanks, James, glad it worked for you
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Amen for the last line becoming reality for those who still refuse to see (or admit) reality.
Very well done.
Sharing with some friends who I think might want to rhyme along….
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Thanks, Na’ama, I think we could write another thousand lines about this sociopathic megalomaniac.
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Yeah. And … if you hadn’t already, I hear it is pretty rewarding to look up http://www.loser.com 🙂
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Sooner this particular naked Emperor leaves, the better. Great story!
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Cheers, Josh, this seems to be the majority view on here
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I like the poem format, and the fusion of an old folk tale and the recent events in the USA.
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Very kind, thank you
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sounds like somebody i know. but maybe, just maybe i’m reading too much into the story. 🙂
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Laughing.
I like my readers to interpret my words however they choose!
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I reckon he won’t be quite that easy to get rid of…
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Sad times, Ali, when democracy is decided in court…
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…off he went with a trumpety trump, trump trump trump – or not!
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Aye, Keith, time will tell whether the will of the people is worth anything
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Hoping he goes peacefully and his subjects with him.
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Fingers crossed, but doesn’t look likely…
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Puppets and the puppet masters – politics and poison. Perehaps the Medicis were right. Well said
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I think you summarise this rather succinctly!
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Still far too many haven’t realized it, or at least pretend that he looks splendid…
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Maybe it will take longer than we thought…
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Interesting view you have there from across the pond, C.E., no doubt informed by the BBC. Over here, their sister is CNN, actually most of the mainstream media. Masterful poetry!
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Thanks, Dora, but I live in France, where I’m happy to say the corrupt BBC has no tentacles
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But you don’t have a French accent! 🙂 Hope it’s the south of France.
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Zees eez ma reel acksong, ze uzzer eez – ‘ow you zay – Fox News, sorry, ze fake news…
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C’est vrai, mon ami 🙂As French philosopher Raymond Aron said in the “Opium of Intellectuals,” “If tolerance is born of doubt, let us teach everyone to doubt all the models and utopias, to challenge all the prophets of redemption and the heralds of catastrophe.
If they can abolish fanaticism, let us pray for the advent of the sceptics.”
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So many who rise to high eminence should be sent back to the kitchen, nicely understated piece
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Thanks, Mike
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In the first place, the honorific Emperor was a mosnomer. Mlore like tyrnant or high robber. Glad he’s been forced to skip town. As for his clothes______wish someone would set afire to this bonfore of vanities. Brilliant story, Kelly
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You seem quite enraged, Neel!
Glad you liked it, but there’s no Kelly here
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Fun poem, CE and very topical. You do wonder what’s going to happen, though, don’t you?
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Thanks, Penny.
Sadly it does seem that the dirty tricks are not finished yet
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I admire your poetry, CE.
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Thanks, Linda
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Yeah this one unfortunately feels a little too close to reality except without the people realizing it part. Because as someone observed above a lot of people still think he’s totally dressed.
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Great poem though. Made me smile. Sorry just also made me think yet again how much I wish for a normal transition and inauguration this January. Ugh so painful to watch.
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We all have our fingers crossed over here, Anne
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Excellent piece of commentary. Who will be the little boy in his camp that dares to point out the fact?
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Laughing.
It seems they are not yet man enough for that!
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Dear CE,
Interesting perspective. Well written.
Shalom,
Rochelle
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As seen from Europe, m’lady
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Great poem. So apt!
Strangely, even I have dealt on this issue in my story with a moral! 🙂
Great minds think alike 🙂
Do read mine!
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Thank you, Anita, I did read yours and commented how much I liked it.
And I am flattered by your comparison.
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I wish more of them would see him for what he really is, but it’s a start, and a little bit of hope goes a long way.
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Fingers crossed, Iain, that’s all we can do for now
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Great poem. Very apt and very true. (So thrilled at the result!!)
Susan A Eames at
Travel, Fiction and Photos
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Glad you enjoyed, Susan
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You out did yourself with this one C! Perfect.
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Thank you, Tannille
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Brilliantly done, mate. The trouble is almost half the realm still thinks he’s dressed in heavenly finery
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Thanks, Neil. Kinda stunning, isn’t it?
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Reblogged this on Reena Saxena.
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And thanks again
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Brilliant!
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Thanks, Reena!
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