Great Little England
skinny island rump
highway seas churning the horizon under turbulent skies
entity England
migration waves still grounding along the continental shelf
monarchs, priests and lords
relaunching history and hope, the truth of reassuring lies
kingdoms to union
state to empire, noble nation with outside-in sense of self
less than half the land
an archipelago's densely peopled habitation hub
fear and ambition
motivation of reigning rulers, homegrown or imported
tame the fringe-lands
subordinate lesser ilk, subdue rebellion with heavy club
defend the realm
render the commoner compliant with tall tales distorted
top-down families
the Normans, Plantagenets, Lancastrians, the House of York
Tudors and Stuarts
Georgians, Victorians, north European ascendency
birthright entwining
Edwardians, the House of Windsor, interwoven Britannia fork
parliament rising
invoking god, king, lords, soldiers, democratic supremacy
papal exclusion
changing of the earthly guard at the heavenly gate
Lord Protectorate
republican dalliance, then monarchy restored, re-anointed
sailing high above
companies of Englishmen supplying demand, the going rate
arms-length thuggery
royal patronage, educational elites appointed
assertive England
afloat with invention, labour, capital, wealth and trouble
destiny shipping
three forms of plantation, loyal protestants on nearby shores
far-off colonials
darkest African cargo, master's bidding at the double
modern holocaust
history sugar-coated, England enriched, no settling of scores
imperial mayhem
civilising, subjugating disturbance on the global face
pink map of the world
ripples of conflict continuing where England has been
echoes of empire
re-imagined futures, the royal Commonwealth embrace
semi-detachment
sparkling tiara slowly shifting on its long-living queen
identity flags
under the Union-Jack, the United Kingdom, Great Britain
the part- British Isles
the world reshaping the meaning of national boundaries
the United Nations
doughty England still punching as if history rewritten
continental blocks
bewildered greatness wilting in multi-cultural foundries
English bemusement
Scottish equality, new Irish European confidence
Welsh ambivalence
continuity communities rocked by remorseless change
the forgotten folk
now eye to eye with privileged patriots of providence
crooked fingers point
blaming the neighbours, outsiders, incomers with garb so strange
but against this trend
a much respected iconic England of proud achievement
thwarter of tyrants
land of heroes where devils and angels can shine together
good outbids the bad
the extraordinary ordinary, shared bereavement
pinnacles of art
gurus of maths, technology and scientific endeavour
magic misty land
great little England still humming a song of more than its parts
beyond the beyond
institutional process, ubiquitous English language spell
casting influence
constructive men and women defeating climatic upstarts
collaboration
world military prowess, a warm welcoming place to dwell ?
Copyright © Ian Love | Year Posted 2019
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