Diamond Jubilee History
Free Verse Poem- Extra Credit #1
![Picture](/uploads/1/2/1/4/12142817/529171157.jpg?129)
Queen Elizabeth the Second
Jewels are sparkling
behind sensitive glass
sensors staring
at people as they pass.
It has been sixty
years? How odd it seems
like yesterday at my
coronation.
As I remember
each object
was being placed
in my hand.
My mind can barely
reach back so far so very
long ago. I think so hard and soundly can believe it
was the orb, the scepter, rod of mercy, and royal ring.
As always my posture
was immaculate standing
proud I was- the people
need to trust in me.
Velvet
on
my
head.
Weighing me down nearly,
but I do
not let it.
I remember this is my place and shake slightly as I turn slowly to face my kingdom.
"Queen? It is time to exit the
vehicle."
Samantha always calls on me like I'm an
old bat.
They say I've been lucky
enough to live
this long. That the one
before me was Queen Victoria to achieve such time.
The Royal Standard is
back following me wherever I
go.
Now it is Buckingham Palace.
The spirit is merry but
where are the children.
They should follow their
country's tradition.
Through my shoes and stockings I can feel the coldness
of the Palace
at of course the guidance of my security.
I've been here before both now and in my youth.
Did I expect much power as Queen?
Maybe.
The respect is tremendous but I
fear the Royal British Monarchy is not as it once was.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poetic Elements:
One poetic element I used in the above poem was personification when I describe the mind reaching back and the Royal Standard following her. Queen Elizabeth the Second celebrated the Diamond Jubilee because she was celebrating the time she had spent as Head of State and Queen. I thought that the mind reaching back would emphasize the sixty year gap between her coronation and the present. Because the British fly the Royal Standard flag wherever and whenever the Queen visits I assumed that she feels as if the flag is following her.
Another poetic element I used was tactile imagery because the Queen can feel the cold through her stockings and shoes. Dreams or memories often feel like they are completely inside people's heads- they don't make the reader feel involved because they can't be thinking what the character or person was thinking. Since Britain is famed for its cold weather and touch gives dimension to a poem, I thought tactile imagery would be useful.
I also used similes, end rhyme, and masculine rhyme.