Diamond Lillibet

An Old Boy from my school sent this out yesterday on our eGroup; it's a poem by one Barry Youde, a retired Mersey pilot who has a penchant for writing poetry.

DIAMOND JUBILEE

I did go down to the sea again. I saw it all on TV:
The Pageant Grand of our Maritime Land; of The Queen and her Jubilee.
There were large boats and small boats and others of middling sizes.
The scale of it all left the viewer in thrall: and gasping at several surprises.

I did go down to the sea again, this morning, outside my front door:
And yesterday's sight gave the utmost delight: We'd seen nothing like it before.
HM The Queen, in her matters marine, survived and seemed happy about it,
Whilst the D of E, a man of the sea, was dressed for the part, do not doubt it.

 I did go down to the sea again. I did it the previous day.
Our village street-party was cheerful and hearty, I'm wholly delighted to say.
`Twas a barbecue, the best we could do, in our churchyard o'erlooking the sea.
In best maritime rig we cremated a pig, on the Anglican side of the Dee.

I did go down to the sea again. The Pageant was very well done.
On a miserable day the Thames was at play, allowing the Nation some fun.
And the dank cold heard the bells tolled: the star was the new "Gloriana",
To honour The Queen at that mem'rable scene, reminiscent of Victoriana.

I did go down to the sea again and the Devil inside of me queried
At the jollity in this tale of the sea; and those roisterers all being ferried?
Though our Diamond Crown has let nobody down, the World has now turned up the heat.
For a Spithead Review, what could we still do? Where yesterday, please, was the Fleet?