Your life, long served, now finally run
Your Royal duties, now faithfully done
Your throne, entrusted to your eldest son
Return At Rest to your beloved one
To reign reunited when your kingdom’s come.
Your coffin, the shoulders of the realm now bears
To lessen the burden of our King and his heirs
To lighten the load of the Crown he now wears
To show to His Majesty, his duties we share
To proclaim to his family, as one nation we care.
You ruled as our Queen to gracefully create
Proud commonwealth nations, in your majestic wake
As we say our goodbyes whilst you’re Lying-in-State
Your subjects are moved to resoundingly state:
“Thank you and God bless you ma’am, Elizabeth the Great.”
© Paul Gardner MBE 14 Sep 2022
