And England Goes On

And England went on,
that land of Queens and Jesters,
who conquered and betrayed,
who stole and gave,
and pillaged and ploughed and made it all the same.

And England went on,
that nation who remains,
who stood fast in the face of horror,
blown to bits but resolved to endeavour,
yet never did share its splendour.

And England went on,
that nation of discoverers,
who bled and burned for truth,
who uttered to the deaf ears of power,
and still dangled by the noose.

And England went on,
the nation that yelled at the stage in the rain,
who hissed and booed at a poor show,
and cheered and cried at another,
but never did turn a ticket down.

The Queen is dead.
Long live the Queen!

And England goes on,
voiceless and unseen.

Written on September 9, 2022