All Hail the Conquering Heroes

white Rani
pale face
peering out
into the glare of a tropical sun

pretty face
framed by brown hair
looking at ill people
in a hospital named after her

they couldn't pronounce her name
Elizabeth
so she was Lizabet
many brown girls
carry her name

some hated her people
for reasons best known to them
how dare they
white man, go home
leave us alone

her people left one day
hip hip hurrah
and all that rot
leaving puddles of disarray

pinky turned up to drink tea
from cracked bamboo joints
curtsies learnt
songs hummed
London Bridge....
flipped pages of history

longing faces
turned towards
the 'home' country
of castles and carriages
and everything within
wistful hearts long for queenly
hats shoes and gowns


Idiots ...its simmering hot here


thank you, ma'am
it was the birth of a new era
chaotic but necessary
and here we be

Farewell Queen
Long Live the King!
May you rule well
with all that she had.