Imagine that they could see you
behind the velvet ropes, staring
at them slack-jawed, at the opulence
and the excess that was ancient Egypt.
We stare at the sarcophagi, at the gold
throne chair and jewel encrusted gods,
imagining ourselves able to afford
luxury on that remarkable scale,
we more the slaves out of sight
breaking our backs to build the tombs
that would someday draw endless
lines of tourists and plunderers.
Now flip the script for a moment,
imagine that we are the exhibits,
our world on display to be gawked at,
what do you imagine Tutankhamen
and Ramses just might be thinking now?