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The Queen Mother Experience
by
Rusty Broadspear
On the 4th August in the year of Our Lord 1900
There occurred a single moment in the aeons of time.
A moment that would stretch and illuminate the next 100 years.
The birth of the Honourable Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon.
The first radio transmissions rode the ether in 1901
And around that time people rode the first automobile.
The Wright Brothers flew 120ft when Elizabeth was three years old.
In 1907 plastic was born to give our goods sex appeal.
One of her ancestors was John Lyon, the Thane of Glamis
Which was the home of Macbeth, 300 years before.
Educated at home, by the age of ten, she spoke fluent French.
Her 14th birthday saw the declaration of the 1st World War.
Her brother, Fergus, was killed at the Battle of Loos.
1917 witnessed the Russian Revolution and Lenin took control.
26th August 1920, women gained the right to vote
And Ireland gained the right to home rule.
26th April 1923, Elizabeth married Prince Albert HRH Prince of York,
Only the crowds were filmed. There is no celluloid record
Of the happy couple. It was declared to be inappropriate.
But those with access to film, watched the crowds cheer and applaud.
21st April 1926, our present Queen made her entrance,
And on 21st August 1930 her sister Princess Margeret was born.
In 1937, due to the abdication of King Edward, Elizabeth became Consort Queen,
A blossoming rose, in a dangerous world of thorns.
39 to 45, 2nd World War, and the Blitz, when a bomb hit the Palace courtyard
She said, "I'm glad we have been bombed; I feel I can look the East End in the face."
The Lady learned to use a pistol, giving support to her family and nation,
Rising splendidly to the challenge, the Perfect Lady was in place.
6th February 1952, such sadness when George V1 dies,
2nd June 1953. Our Queen, Queen Elizabeth is crowned,
Very soon her subjects were watching war, (Vietnam), on TV.
1956, the Grand National, Queen Mums favourite horse, Devon Loch, falls to the ground.
The 60's, and the Beatles crawl from obscurity into world wide fame.
And in the eyes of the World, like a metronomic pendulum, England swings,
With music, fashion, style and the living Royal Institution.
The way we are, the way they are and all that that brings.
In 69 we watch in awe as man skips across the Moon,
In 73 the dawning of the spinning of the web world wide.
In 78 we say Hi to Louise Brown, the World's first test tube baby.
29th July 81, Charles and Di wed, while we watch wide eyed.
From a spectacular wedding to the present day,
When the Queen Mum's Spirit was eventually whisked away,
There were highs and lows for the World and Her Family,
But her smile, strength and Christian dignity would never go astray.
As marriages of a daughter and three grandchildren fall apart,
And the morals and import of her family are discussed on TV.
Forever on the sidelines, offering kindness and wisdom, stood
The stalwart, the pillar of faith, dealer of kindness, to the Monarchy.
Her Edwardian values dealt duty in aces,
And after two hip replacements, no sticks or electric cart.
She brought strength and unity to the nation,
She lived, and will continue to do so, in all of our hearts.
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