The Rhyme of the Fallen Influencer
Every generation has its cautionary tale. This one comes with Wi-Fi.
Humphrey Dumpty, king of the feed
Ridin’ high on clicks and speed.
Fans and likes, he’s in demand,
All of ’em eating from his hand.
Selfies, filters, glam and gloss,
No sniff of failure, no hint of loss.
Humphrey’s world — it’s pure allure
He’s viral gold, he’s so cocksure.
But cracks appear, as cracks do,
Rumors spread like Spanish flu,
Storms brew behind the glass,
Bad press spreads like noxious gas.
A post too far, a tweet too loud,
Once cheered by all, now booed by crowds.
He’s tumbling down, lost the race,
No magic filter can save his face.
Humphrey Dumpty, broken shell,
Once riding high, how he fell,
King’s horses and King’s men,
Won’t see him trending up again.
The moral is, now heed this track —
No one’s immune to a social smack.
You build on fame? Better be tough,
Your ego will shatter when it gets rough!
I had an interest in death from an early age. When I heard ‘Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall’, I thought, ‘Did he fall or was he pushed?’ — P.D. James English crime writer: in Paris Review 1995
Humpty Dumpty by Christopher Wood
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