Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Carol Ann Duffy's poem The Crown

A new poem for the 60th anniversary of the coronation by poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy

The crown jewels
'Old light' … the crown jewels. Photograph: Tim Graham/Getty Images

The crown translates a woman to a Queen –
endless gold, circling itself, an O like a well,
fathomless, for the years to drown in – history's bride,
anointed, blessed, for a crowning. One head alone
can know its weight, on throne, in pageantry,
and feel it still, in private space, when it's lifted:
not a hollow thing, but a measuring; no halo,
treasure, but a valuing; decades and duty. Time-gifted,
the crown is old light, journeying from skulls of kings
to living Queen.

                                           Its jewels glow, virtues; loyalty's ruby, blood-deep; sapphire's ice resilience; emerald evergreen;
the shy pearl, humility. My whole life, whether it be long
or short, devoted to your service.
Not lightly worn.

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