Britain's Poet Laureate Commemorates the Royal Wedding

Posted on April 9, 2005

At long last, the waiting is over. Prince Charles married his mistress of 35 years, and Britain's Poet Laureate Andrew Motion has created a poem in honor of the occasion.

Spring Wedding

I took your news outdoors, and strolled a while
In silence on my square of garden-ground
Where I could dim the roar of arguments,
Ignore the scandal-flywheel whirring round,

And hear instead the green fuse in the flower
Ignite, the breeze stretch out a shadow-hand

To ruffle blossom on its sticking points,
The blackbirds sing, and singing take their stand.

I took your news outdoors, and found the Spring
Had honoured all its promises to start
Disclosing how the principles of earth
Can make a common purpose with the heart.

The heart which slips and sidles like a stream
Weighed down by winter-wreckage near its source -
But given time, and come the clearing rain,
Breaks loose to revel in its proper course.

BBC News reports that Mr. Motion wanted to address the range of feelings people had about the marriage, so chose the image of the stream which "was now running its proper course" to represent the couple's long and difficult road to happiness. Prince Charles wrote the poet a letter saying how much he liked the poem. We do too; it's a delicate and insightful piece of poetry which addresses a difficult topic.