(2)
and the pigeons
having a bird’s eye view of it all
some in fact sitting
on a statue of King John
which had lain forgotten!
(until luckily, one day
somebody found it
in his back garden)
now a very special
Royal Bodyguard
comprised of
the privy equipage
still wearing their fifteenth
century unforms
(after all those years)
(with red and white roses round their hats)
and now the honourable
corps of the gentlemen at arms
a little tottery
but gentlemen
and still they pass ...
the Lord Mayor staggers
beneath his mace and sword
provokes a tumultuous
sixty-two gun salute from
four jolly old
twenty-five pounders
so the stately procession continues
the coach, weaving
round a traffic island
on the wrong side!
(nobody drunk today however)
(and this can be forgiven on a day like this)
now a flurry of flags
ah what memories
this must stir her
and him and her
and them and above all
now the canon in residence passes
blasting off as he does a salvo
of hardhitting bonhomie
wearing a jubilee cope designed
especially for this occasion
and given
(wait for it, this is extraordinary)
by well-wishers from the home counties
(notice the Royal Peculiar on the mitre)
the college of heralds in their scarlet tabards
the Wales Herald extraordinary
the clanoncer king of arms!
what splendid names!
splashes of colour in this black city
and the coach again heaves into view
the crown on its top supported by three balls
representing of course Wales
and Scotland and Ireland
it’s weaving round the traffic island
once again on the wrong side!
(and contains Blackpool supporters)
(O no, I’m so sorry for that mistake
I meant to say
our own dear very special Royal Family)
(hope that can be forgiven on a day like this)
and the statue of King John stands
white-haired
with on his head the pigeons having
a bird’s eye view of it all
Jeremy Sandford FanClub Archives
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George @ dicegeorge.com(c)2006