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JOSIE'S POEMS
Longer Narrative Poems
By Josie Whitehead
THE EMPEROR'S NEW CLOTHES
(Based on a Hans Anderson's Fairy Story)
By Josie Whitehead
Hands up all those who like new clothes -
Yes, new clothes every day?
And tell me what you most prefer:
New clothes or friends and play?
There was a man who’d disagree -
An emperor, of course,
And pay his servants? No, no, no –
Nor buy food for his horse.
​
Feed his children? Not at all,
And his wife went hungry too –
But spend, spend, spend on lots of clothes:
What could his family do?
One day you’d see him dressed in blue:
The next, he’d be in red,
And then he’d choose a nice green suit,
Or gold perhaps instead.
​
Two swindlers came to town one day
Who claimed to make fine cloth,
But what they said and what they did
Incurred their clients’ wrath.
‘We weave the finest cloth,’ they said.
‘Most smart folk will agree,
But only those with brains in heads
Are people who will see.’
​
All stupid, silly, brainless folk,
Won’t see the clothes we make,
But brilliant people, those with brains,
Will see them, no mistake!
The emperor heard of this, of course:
‘Their clothes will suit me fine
And I’ll host a party, wearing them.
Come order food and wine.’
​
Continued . . .