Nearly a century sublime!
A chapter ends at ninety-nine
He is no more,
the Queen’s best friend
Her rock on
whom she could depend …
Handsome
Philip, Prince of Greece
Soulmate, much
loved, now at peace
The ‘Palace
bubble’ in dismay
Mirrors Windsor
stones in grey…
A long life, lived
out to the full
Philip would
accept no bull;
Fine sportsman,
who to new heights soared
With his “Duke
of Edinburgh” Award.
Unsettled start
to royalty
From balmy Corfu,
forced to flee
Unsettled
childhood, tough Scots school*
Naval Philip
was no fool!
Post-war
wedding, coronation
TV presenter to
the Nation,
The Environment
his keen concern
A leitmotif son
Charles would learn.
Intrepid
traveller, on the go,
Who always wanted
more to know;
No diplomat, he
liked to tease
But put those whom
he met at ease…
Linguist,
artist, engineer
Excelling in
the polo sphere;
His crown of
laurels he downplays
Lithe and fit
till his last days…
The Nation now mourns with the Queen
As she reflects
on what has been …
A Windsor
chapel funeral planned
As social gatherings
are banned.
But Philip
never courted fuss
In many ways
like one of us;
His actions enhanced
countless lives;
His presence
round the Queen survives…
(c) Poet in the woods 2021
* Gordonstoun
10.6.1921 - 9.4.2021
You captured the essence of Philip in just a few lines. Isn't poetry wonderful in the hands of a talented poet...
ReplyDeleteNot a wasted word and a wonderful epitaph to an extraordinary man who lived an even more extraordinary life. Thank-you Sarah.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! A great summing up and put so succinctly. Gail
ReplyDelete