The wind that day
made hairy spray of the horses tails
and drove them along.
By night we were hungry.
On reaching the Inn
was offered a bed of swan's down to
pillow my wearisome day.
And slept like a baby.
While my brothers
went wenching I stayed close by the
Hostelry's turreted home.
Used to being alone.
Next morning I woke
to breakfast off salmon served fresh
in a bowl of old pewter.
Boatmen kept me amused.
From the casement
they looked like cushioned swans all
ready and pilgrim-waiting.
Tied up to their labour.
Ladies and maids ferried
to market left men squatting on boat
bottoms until their return .
All day I went wordless.
Night had fallen when
I heard noisy returns and asked for
the latest Armada news.
But it was refused.
I was so thankful
my lively un-born was not yet ready
to greet times of war.
I fastened my door.
Elizabeth's glory was
not yet to its end for she as our Queen
still ruled the year 1558.
I prayed for long reign.
Fatherless but not
unprotected my baby would savour
her grace.
I knew I was favoured.
The mother-of-storms
had passed when we set on our way
again to the Queen's Court.
Ladies in Waiting never falter.
Oct 23, 2014
Oct 23, 2014 at 10:12 AM UTC
The wind that day
made hairy spray of the horses tails
and drove them along.
By night we were hungry.
On reaching the Inn
was offered a bed of swan's down to
pillow my wearisome day.
And slept like a baby.
While my brothers
went wenching I stayed close by the
Hostelry's turreted home.
Used to being alone.
Next morning I woke
to breakfast off salmon served fresh
in a bowl of old pewter.
Boatmen kept me amused.
From the casement
they looked like cushioned swans all
ready and pilgrim-waiting.
Tied up to their labour.
Ladies and maids ferried
to market left men squatting on boat
bottoms until their return .
All day I went wordless.
Night had fallen when
I heard noisy returns and asked for
the latest Armada news.
But it was refused.
I was so thankful
my lively un-born was not yet ready
to greet times of war.
I fastened my door.
Elizabeth's glory was
not yet to its end for she as our Queen
still ruled the year 1558.
I prayed for long reign.
Fatherless but not
unprotected my baby would savour
her grace.
I knew I was favoured.
The mother-of-storms
had passed when we set on our way
again to the Queen's Court.
Ladies in Waiting never falter.
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