A Poet's Blog: Roger N.Taber shares his thoughts & poems...

Thoughts and observations by English poet Roger N. Taber, a retired librarian and poet-novelist.- "Ethnicity, Religion, Gender, Sexuality ... these are but parts of a whole. It is the whole that counts." RNT [NB While I have no wish to create a social network, I will always reply to critical emails about my poetry. Contact: rogertab@aol.com].

Name:
Location: London, United Kingdom

Sadly, a bad fall in 2012 has left me with a mobility problem, and being diagnosed with prostate cancer the same year hasn't helped, but I get out and about with my trusty walking stick as much as I can, take each day as it comes and try to keep looking on the bright(er) side of life. Many of my poems reflect the need to nurture a positive-thinking mindset whatever life throws at us.

Friday 31 August 2012

Death of a Princess

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R._N._Taber

On August 31st 1997, Diana, Princess of Wales was tragically killed when a car carrying herself and Dodi Fayed crashed in Paris. 

Many readers who appear to have difficulty accessing You Tube directly for one reason or another have asked me to repeat the link to a my friend Graham's video of the memorial in Hyde Park along with two  poems I read over it:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_iX3LzGK4k

Meanwhile, here is a new poem written in memory of a remarkable woman; a devoted mother whose beauty, charm, and capacity for compassion won hearts and minds wherever she went; traits she has clearly passed on to her children.

She wasn’t without flaws, you might say, so tell me then...who isn't?

DEATH OF A PRINCESS 

Brought to its knees
the day she died, the world
asked questions,
demanded answers,  cried
itself to sleep

Media loved to play
the blame game, but no one
(quite) convinced
by speculation compromising
its integrity

Crowds played out
the performance of a lifetime
at the palace gates
while its key players left
them to it

Hysteria over a flag
left flying high and crying out
for half-mast
lent tunnel vision an air
of plausibility

Elsewhere, a family
resolved to protect its own
devising new ways
of doing the walk and talking
the talk

Diana, on an island
of dreams, inviting royalty
and ordinary people
to rise above tears like petals
between showers

Brought to its knees
the day she died, the world
still asks questions,
demands answers,  cries
itself to sleep

Copyright R. N. Taber 2012



Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,