The Assyrians thought they were exceptional.
The Egyptians too, and the Greeks.
The Chinese of course, still exceptional.
Romans were very exceptional.
The Spanish were too, and the Portugese.
The British – ah they were exceptional,
the Sun didn’t set for a long time
until it did.
Germans, Japanese, Russians
all exceptional for a while, until they weren’t.
America took over the exceptional thing,
until it was trumped.
By and large it’s best to live
in a country exceptional
for not having an Empire.
nomdeplume 