Poem 5: Poetry Response

Ozymandias

BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY

I met a traveller from an antique land,

Who said—“Two vast and trunkless legs of stone

Stand in the desert. . . . Near them, on the sand,

Half sunk a shattered visage lies, whose frown,

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command,

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive, stamped on these lifeless things,

The hand that mocked them, and the heart that fed;

And on the pedestal, these words appear:

My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;

Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!

Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

This poem was interesting and very unique, even though I felt as though it ended quite abruptly I still enjoyed it. Once the traveller spoke of the "two vast and trunkless legs of stone Stand inn the desert" I knew he was most likely referring to a Sphinx. When I first read this I understood that the poem is talking about a king that ruled before and that this Sphinx is there to represent him; he treated the people of his land badly and felt as though he was one of the best rulers of all time and that his kingdom will not fall even long after he is gone. And yet I just couldn't connect this and find that deeper meaning. After that I began to read the story multiple ways to see what connects I could make (Which worked!).
When analyzing each line again I noticed the strong imagery and how and these different perceptions of the king could come into play with one another (How he is described to us, how the artist who made this Sphinx perceived him and how the king perceived himself). After making this connection I knew I was still missing something important, that's when I began reading more into the pride of the king and how he treated the citizens. After I did this that's when I really became conflicted. When reading it that last time I realized it was say that if something is built on negativity and corruption it will surely parish, but at the same time if this was the true meaning then why is the Sphinx still standing? (It's all messed up but still standing!)
I don't know maybe i'm looking to much into this and just trying to find a connection, but I feel as though I'm just missing that last piece that will connect all of the bigger points that I talked about together.