PHOTO: NZ HERALDPolitical power is often temporary and illusory. It is apparent the pharaoh had exercised huge power and authority in his lifetime, but what Shelley viewed was but a shadow of that former glory. The poem ends:"And on the pedestal these words appear:My name is Ozymandius, king of kings:Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair! Unlike Ozymandius, they were not motivated by power or vanity. Temporary though political power is, if properly applied, all the citizens of the nation should be able to flourish.

Source: New Zealand Herald June 20, 2023 04:33 UTC