Queen

 She looked back on her life

The good and the dark

The memories of sorrow like

A twisted willow bark

She always counted her blessings and blew

A kiss to her nephews and those who she knew

And the speeding train kept coming

Through the tunnel took aim

It had her in its sights like a shooting flame

Speed up, steam train speed up through the dark

The tunnel is long, but on the other side is light

She didn't want to fall to pieces at the very end

All of these sweet meats had somehow taken her name

Mother of appeasement

Mother of the dark

Queen of all concealment

Cloak and dagger heart

Hope in desperation

Light of the nation

Remember us now

Before you depart

Great figures you did know

Now time has brought low

Seasons of the blessings

And choices cut like ribbons

At supermarket openings

And places of state

High churches at your gate

And turning around watching

The parade of colours march

All of these occasions held aloft

The nation's torch

Shine, shine a light down on Earth

Where has man gone wrong

Never worth the question

What good can we do now?

That is the abiding notion

Many rocks have fallen from the fascia's face

And a crumbling mantle piece

But a fierce fire in the grate

The Mansion still stands

All the enemies gather at the gate

But her energy lives on 

In the men and women of state