Ozymandias

This poem seemed pretty straightforward to me which is refreshing. The speaker is criticizing government and rulers. When people reflect on history, a ruler's reputation is more easily remembered than the government as a whole. Ozymandias' reputation, from the speaker's description, wasn't the greatest, and he's remembered that way. The theme of that portion of the poem is that we should be cautious in regards to our actions because no one can control the way in which he or she is remembered. The part of the poem which talks about the legs and head in the sand is referring to a weak, powerless government. The most important part, the trunk, is missing, and the rest is separated. The separate pieces create weak spots in a government and leave it open to enemies' attacks. It's a recipe for disaster.