Listening to Grace Petrie always makes me want to write protest songs, for some reason.  This came to me with a sort of a tune in my head, but the tune dribbled out, so now I need to find a new one.  That happens.  Anyhow, here it is: the secret about history that historians keep forgetting to mention.

July 2023

Old King Whatsit was a wally:
Won his battles, lost his friends,
Now you never read his story in the books.
Even though he fought supremely
And he ruled with iron fist,
That’s a time that legend mostly overlooks.

Good Queen Thingy now, in contrast,
Knew to keep her people pleased,
Sharing all the fortune Fortune shared with her.
So the adjective prepended
Is a sure and certain thing
On its aptness every expert will concur.

“History’s written by the victors?”
No it bloody well is not
You can work it out, it isn’t very hard
Victors’ swords are mighty pointy
Yet they somehow miss the point:
Which is: history’s written by the victor’s bard.

So be good and kind, Your Highness,
Show the greatest grace, Your Grace.
There are watchers closer than your foeman’s spies.
And we’re totting up your battles,
Win or lose or slink away,
And it’s we who make them seen by future eyes.

“History’s written by the victors?”
No it bloody well is not
You can work it out, it isn’t very hard
Victors’ swords are mighty pointy
Yet they somehow miss the point:
Which is: history’s written by the victor’s bard.
Yes Sir, history’s written by the victor’s bard.