The rumours had been circulating
I would be dismissed
my antics had been tolerated
but would not be allowed to persist
I’d hear my colleagues grow silent
when they sensed my arrival
and know they had been analyzing
the odds against my survival

The empire was crumbling
violence in the streets all night
all the dance clubs were deserted
except for pre-programmed flashing lights
all the newspapers demanded
the presidents resignation
but perhaps they would take me instead
as a sacrifice for the nation

My superiors, at first one by one
stopped looking me in the eyes
and wrote nasty comments on my reports
accusing me of defeatist lies
the two women I slept with
both received threats to their lives
and that meant it was serious
for they were both high ranking officers wives

The empire was crumbling
and I was to be the scapegoat
who knew what crimes they’d pin on me
to keep the nation afloat
and though I predicted this societal decay
in studies dating back ten years
I didn’t see my own demise
until the end was already near

I soon received a nice subpoena
and a date for my fair hearing
and even at my most oblivious
I could sense the end was nearing
packed my assets into Swiss accounts
phoned a friend with his own private plane
but when I arrived at the time we agreed on
the whole airport was up in flames

The empire was crumbling
and there was no escape
no one would return the phone calls
I left on their message machine tapes
there was no recourse in the media
every word was under lock and key
and that is how the nation
made a scapegoat out of me

After my death the nation crumbled
got even more violent and rotten
and in the turmoil of the wreckage
my execution was quickly forgotten
they tried to make and example of me
but the public refused to comply
so instead all they got was a brief moment of distraction
for which I had to die

The empire was crumbling
and my death was in vain
no one revelled at my anguish
no one cheered when I got the blame
no one cared if I was innocent or guilty
as the noose tightened around my throat
so my advice to future governments
is find a much more attractive scapegoat
and my final advice to future governments
is find a much more mediagenic scapegoat