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For My Queen
Queen Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor
April 21, 1926 – September 8, 2022
My symbol of nobility, stability and grace,
Who reigned yet never ruled—she was my constant caring face
On TV screen, on stamps, in scenes of history’s changing view.
She slipped away this solemn day—her time to bid adieu.
The only monarch I have loved, the only queen I’ve known
(This stalwart soul my heart embraced as family of my own)
Has left the throne for greater realms beyond the fuss and fray.
She’s left me with a wealth of wondrous memories at play.
So on this day, I’d like to say—dear Lilibet, goodbye.
My one and only gracious Queen, please hear my grateful cry—
You shone with poise and dignity and honour and respect
In times when truth had lost its way and hope was all but wrecked…
By those who never saw the light in eyes that blazed as bright
As anthems sung in notes that rose like Windsor swans in flight.
.
.
Susan Jarvis Bryant has poetry published on Lighten Up Online, Snakeskin, Light, Sparks of Calliope, and Expansive Poetry Online. She also has poetry published in TRINACRIA, Beth Houston’s Extreme Formal Poems anthology, and in Openings (anthologies of poems by Open University Poets in the UK). Susan is the winner of the 2020 International SCP Poetry Competition, and has been nominated for the 2022 Pushcart Prize.
Your second poem here reminds me of Auden’s “Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone” with its imperatives.
Damian, you are right to be reminded of “Stop all the clocks”… it’s my favourite funeral poem and I drew on it for my final goodbye. I should really give Auden credit for my poem.
Susan, the AJRMembers really liked your poem, said it was beautiful and well written.
They commented that even though there has been a lot of coverage, the poem showed there is room for more.
It is such a personal token from a subject to a monarch – nicely done.
Damian, thank you very much for this feedback. It’s so heartening to hear that my poem went down well… Queen Elizabeth the Great was one of a kind. It’s been a privilege to witness this significant piece of history.
Susan, I just read in the newsletter that this poem has been “widely circulated, including by schools and churches.” Congratulations! I agree with the next sentence that “This is the power of classical poetry and a credit to the writing of the Poetess.”
Thank-you for this very personal tribute. As I thought about it I realized that God Save The Queen was the first song I learned to sing – grade one. School began with Our Father and O Canada and ended with GSTQ ( this was NOT some private school, we filed out of class and stood in single file in the hallway and prayed and sang – everyone did it ! ). That was how I learned about the Queen and she was on all the stamps and the money! We had no TV (Mennonites still think it is an instrument of the devil – they are probably right). Your poem inspired me to write a song using your words as lyrics. It is still a bit rough around the edges but definitely ready to see the light of day. Unlike Mozart it takes me quite long to get it the way I want it. I would really like to share it with you before I start thinking of it as a final version. I am a bit of a luddite when it comes to post-modern technology but I do see I will need include my email – perhaps we could start with that ?
In Memory of our Qween
Elizabeth II
In our land where royalty reigns supreme,
There stands a queen, a timeless dream.
Elizabeth II, a regal sight,
Her life adorned in glorious light.
Born into a world of grandeur and grace,
With a crown upon her sovereign face.
From her early days, a monarch in bloom,
With a duty to her people she would assume.
Through decades of change, she stood tall,
Guiding her kingdom with love over all.
From joyful celebrations to times of despair,
She offered solace, showing that she cared.
With elegance unmatched, she carries the weight,
A symbol of strength in each noble gait.
Her crown gleams bright, an emblem of might,
Yet never eclipses her compassionate light.
With grace, resilience, and unwavering poise,
She’s been a symbol of hope through life’s noise.
Her words, like pearls, wisdom they bring,
Inspiring generations to dream and sing.
In Commonwealth embrace, she fosters unity,
Her love for her realms, a testimony.
A queen for the ages, beloved and adored,
Elizabeth II, we salute and applaud.
Through history’s pages, her story unfolds,
A monarch exemplary, as time beholds.
Long may she reign, a true diamond rare,
Elizabeth II, a queen beyond compare.
By Robert McBride