Today is a Day of National Mourning

purple british crown in whte-gloved hands of red-coated servants

An Elizabethan era ended – Carolingians again.

Postwar gardens stuffed with produce, chickens scrambling, are lost to 

Sterile lawns and 

Plastic furniture. 

Foxes sup pesticides and stumble onwards.

Hedgehogs falter. 

A rush of wind carries the scent of Elizabethan shame: base notes of greed and

Top notes of callousness form a blend 

Perfected over 500 years.

Decolonisation without reparation – or contrition. 

Cars are nestling smugly on tarmacked front gardens,

Where alchemic hydrangea and sleazy foxglove hotels once beckoned bees, 

Their tiny furry faces alive with the cosmic goodness of heaven’s promises. 

On Oxford Street and Hyde Park Corner

A ghost keeps passing on his warning.

Placard man – ‘protein is sin’.

Outdated and absurd spectre,

A memory of a state where

Protest was permitted. 

Soon, an old white man will wear stolen diamonds. 

__

Soon an old, white, man will wear stolen diamonds

Published by Caroline

After 30 years as an academic anthropologist doing ethnography in India and the Gulf, Caroline now avoids airports and spends a lot of time walking, cycling or quad skating around for conversations and stories in their adopted home of Worthing. Caroline writes, coaches postgrads, and does public sector consultancy work and project evaluation, using creative research methods.

5 thoughts on “Today is a Day of National Mourning

  1. Hello Caroline, this expressed my own feelings very strikingly particularly the last line. I am also a Worthing by Accident resident. Perhaps it would be possible to plan some sort of ‘screw the coronation’ alternative activity? If you are interested, let me know and I would be happy to buy you an actual coffee. Best wishes, Ruth

    1. I’ve been hoping for a ‘screw the coronation ‘ event. I reckon Joe Bunn might be interested in putting something together. We need respite and some dissenting voices!

      1. Good to be in touch with other dissenters! Let’s get together when date for the event is is known. Ruth

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