What If   What if it blinded him — the Great Eclipse! What if he staggered backward, reeling from the light of Truth revealed, the light that strips away the lies, the rot? What if, now numb to the blandishments of toadies, the lure of pelf, he renounced the nonsense, forgave all his enemies and former wives, purified his spirit, tempered his words, saved his soul? What if he confessed all his wrongs, his sins? What if he took to wearing long white robes that glowed with holiness and peace, and prosperity settled on the land like a flock of turtledoves, and unceasing kindness blossomed like wildflowers fanned by gentle breezes — a glimmering dawn, a golden age?                       There’s something going on . . .     © Michael Fleming Brattleboro, Vermont September 2017