Birth of Democracy (and its Split Subject)

After a troubled night king Solomon
summoned again the two streetwalkers and the infant
before the magistrates, to overturn his verdict.

He said, I foolishly presumed I could evade
the postulate of symmetry in justice.
Bring back to me, once and for all, the sword and balance.

He raised one hand to quiet the women’s screams.
Then, with the other hand, he cut the child in two
with one neat swing of surgical precision.

He weighed each half to ensure that neither supplicant
be cheated even slightly of her portion.

Once more his acumen had served the sovereign well:
the parcels were unquestionably equal.

Soon people heard of the rescinded judgment,
and, in their hearts, they sorrowed for their king.

For they surmised the days of monarchy were numbered,
the age of transcendental subjects was at hand.