Ann Foxglove

royal wedding day

by Ann Foxglove

Friday 29th April 2011 2:47 pm

I notice my champagne flute has a chip –

trust me to pick the only one.

But then

what can you expect from Oxfam?

Just yesterday I thought

“Stuff the royal wedding!

What do I care?

Shall I become a media-manipulated pawn?

Vive la revolution!”

Yet here I am today,

defiant with my bottle of champagne

and M&S Chinese takeaway.

While others celebrate why shouldn't I

take part?

First there is London

which holds half my heart.

My London where generations of seal skin dressers

sat in fusty Bermondsey.

Where now my children live

free yet enfolded in my love.

And marriage – ah yes marriage.

I wrote of that today.

Who cares for that?

The tiny miniatures stay –

the queen in egg-yolk yellow

the bride a lovely swarthy witch

Harry with his navvy’s walk

(funny he didn’t inherit that

male pattern baldness . . . .)

Camilla walks like me – carefully!

At least Sir Elton didn't bring the brat

. . . and who are all those nuns?

For the couple I hardly care a jot

and yet tears roll down

I don’t know why.

I try to be a poet so I

pull the sinews out of life.

And in my lonely heart’s despair

one happy thought.

At least Tony and Cherie Blair

WEREN'T THERE!

◄ four weddings

cable laying ►

Comments

Ann Foxglove

Mon 2nd May 2011 07:19

Thanks but - who WERE all those nuns?

Cynthia Buell Thomas

Sun 1st May 2011 21:35

Well done, Ann. You covered a lot of great stuff with a fulsome eye and a quick pen. I really enjoyed the ceremony itself, and the archbishop's big moment. His address was very compelling, even for people who don't believe in formal marriages. Kate's brother did an outstanding job on his reading. It all did seem sincere; I liked that. My fave part was William trying not to trod on her gown as they processed out of the abbey, and still trying to be dignified while petrified. At last the gauntlet was passed and he smiled!

Philipos

Sun 1st May 2011 15:23

I was actually looking forward to this wedding - not too ashamed of being a monarchist myself having taken the Queen's shilling for many a year (I see Prince Wm - is now Hon. Colonel of my old regiment - regretfully was in a southbound coach from the north for all of 12 hours so missed the real time viewing though much enjoyed later at my daughter's house. Take a pat on the back Ann for posting your very apposite poem on WOL and giving us all an opportunity to comment. Didn't you just love the 3 year old in the corner with the hacked off look - priceless - someone must write a poem about the world through her eyes x

<Deleted User> (7212)

Sat 30th Apr 2011 20:15

yes, eugenie looked a bit of a twit with her antlers, but one or two duffers out of thousands ain't bad.
I was saying to the missus how nick clegg's wife looks a proper sight - like a flamenco dancer - then it turns out she's spanish! - better keep my detailed opinions on couture to myself I reckon.

Isobel

Sat 30th Apr 2011 12:47

Well turned out? Eugenie looked like she was wearing a pair of Antlers and Beatrice looked like a pantomime dame. I think the average woman in the street could have dressed herself in Oxfam and turned up looking better. That makes me sound awfully bitchy LOL! I'm only saying it cos they are so far removed that it can't hurt. The point I am trying to make is that wealth can't buy you class, deportment or taste. Can it buy you happiness? Perhaps up to a point but it takes other things as well.

Alan Morrison

Sat 30th Apr 2011 12:38

Hehehe! Cool poem. I believe you. A lot of tongue-in-cheek there. "And yet tears roll down - I don’t know why". Please forgive me when I say it but I think I do know why. It's because in your heart of hearts you are a true Romantic (me too). However, much of romanticism comes from childhood when (one believed that) people lived happily ever after, princes came someday, kisses made princes out of frogs and awoke beautiful princesses from decades of slumber and knights on white chargers carried ladyes off to castles in neverneverland. That event yesterday was a childhood fantasy played out before our eyes (coal miner's [Sloane Ranger] great granddaughter marries prince) by people who have the money to do it well. "they all looked so well turned-out & happy" because they were all very very wealthy, which helps in looking well turned-out and happy (I say "looking", which doesn't mean that they really are :o). These events are skilful works of social engineering designed to beguile us (in the face of everything to the contrary) into having Hope and diverting our attention from the things which really matter. But it's a good thing that communities had street parties and that even hardened cynics shed cathartic tears. ;o)

Lynn Dye

Fri 29th Apr 2011 21:34

Very good, Ann, enjoyed your poem, I love the line on Camilla too! (In principle I would say I'm not a royalist, but then I do appreciate them at the same time, so as normal, I'm mixed up!) And yes, I shed a few tears too.... xx

<Deleted User> (7212)

Fri 29th Apr 2011 21:06

if I could read my lines half as well with 2 billion watching, I'd be well chuffed.
I'm no royalist, but just "well done" to the happy couple in particular & to everyone really - they all looked so well turned-out & happy.
(yeah, I walk like Camilla as well)

Greg Freeman

Fri 29th Apr 2011 20:52

Like the chipped champagne flute, Ann. As a fervent anti-monarchist I had a funny old day ... spent most of it helping out at a street party's in my mother-in-law's road, and enjoyed being there. They had stuck pictures up on the fence of the last time they had a party, for Charles and Di ... and some of the kids in those pictures were back there now, with their own kids.

Isobel

Fri 29th Apr 2011 19:42

And I wonder just how many egg yolk yellow coats the queen owns... she could have worn any of them and we wouldn't have known the difference...

I thought it was very bad that they left out two ex prime ministers - just bad form and petty - whether you like what they did or not, they both aged dreadfully whilst doing that job.

Julian (Admin)

Fri 29th Apr 2011 15:56

Blimey, you were quick Ann!

I did think that locking them all in at Westminster Abbey would have been a good way to start 'la revolucion', but I did watch some of it with my granddaughter and was struck by the thought that it is a part of British history in the making and that there was a sense in which Diana helped to change the monarchy a little. Must be getting soft in my old age.
Harry seems more like his father...
well done Ann. the zeitgeist.

Terry White

Fri 29th Apr 2011 14:18

Fitting! I love it.

'Camilla walks like me – carefully!' -my fav!

Ann Foxglove

Fri 29th Apr 2011 14:14

Tongue in cheek here - honest! :)

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