The Liar King

From my seat upon the throne,
I cast my eyes over the royal court.
To these subjects of my own,
A lesson must be taught.

I am sickened by my courtiers.
A nobility of whores,
Inside my castle of vanity,
With unguarded and unlocked doors.

The lowest prostrate themselves lower,
As they bow down to my majesty,
While I rule with a sceptre of pretention,
Underneath a crown of travesty.

I wear a mask of kindness,
To lure you to my nation.
My tools are a sympathy poison,
And a talent for exaggeration.

I don a cloak of misdirection.
You see only what I want you to see.
I weave tales from your ignorance,
In which the light always falls on me.

I'll warp reality in different ways,
Depending on the situation I'm in.
I'll say whatever you want to hear,
As long as your favour I win.

If only I knew the reason,
Why your approval I so crave.
To not care what others think of me,
I'm afraid I'm just not that brave.

Peering in my shaded mirror,
Such ugliness does it seem to host.
Just for me to feel like your equal,
I must achieve more than most.

My abilities have been mastered.
I've perfected the art.
Now I can even lie to myself,
And it becomes truth in my heart.

Now I've finally admitted everything.
Now someone knows the truth of I.
But you haven't yet heard my greatest deception,
Which is when I say, 'I've never told a lie'.