The Coronation Poem by Deanna Samuels

Watching the UK Coronation on TV today,
the significance, the opulence, the pageantry,
the robes, the clothes, the crowds, the bunting,
my memories brought me back 70 years ago
to my home town of London
when then, it was the Coronation of Elizabeth II.
I was just a young teen, fourteen to be precise

Then, the buzz, the excitement,
the exhilaration, the street parties, the parades,
the dressing up, the neighbor unity.
The whole country had fallen under a spell.
After years of war, rationing, austerity, shortages,
it felt as though everyone had broken out of a shell.
All put their heart and soul
to make costumes and crowns.
In those days very little came off the shelf
and most of the outfits were handmade.
All the mums baked tarts and cakes
and made sandwiches by the score,
everything fairly plain like egg, cheese and jam.

The given day for parties to take place,
girls dressed up as queens and princesses,
boys as princes and kings
and parents too dressed up in best attire.
The neighborhood had their parades and pageants,
the children showing off their hand made gowns
topped with tiaras and crowns
made from shiny gold cardboard and colored beads.
The parades and parties were such fun,
never had we kids felt so happy and free.
What a day, what a special occasion in our lives.

The Coronation Day of June 3rd 1953 arrived,
crowds were drawn into London in their thousands
quickly lining the Coronation route
from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey.
Our family had been invited to an aunt and uncle
who lived in the West End of London
to watch the Coronation on their new television,
a fairly rare commodity in those days.

We were thrilled to watch the Coronation procession
on a screen, maybe 9" x 6" in black and white,
but what did that matter, we were there,
witnessing the whole procession, the golden coach,
the young Queen within, her life, her reign before her,
the soldiers, the sailors, the airmen, such precision.
Never in our lives had we seen such a spectacle.
Dignitaries invited from across the world.
Never had we witnessed so varied a people
riding in carriages in the streets of London,
many clothed in outfits signifying their country.
One person in particular to remember, the Queen of Tonga,
even through the rain, she kept her carriage open,
smiling and waving profusely to the throng lining the streets.
She stole all our hearts that day and it has never been forgotten.

Then, to witness the Coronation ceremony itself,
the actual Coronation - the crowning of The Queen,
the bejeweled crowns, orb, scepter and sword,
the whole service, the allegiance oath.
Then the procession back to Buckingham Palace,
the crowds roaring, waving union jacks.
The balcony scene - the newly crowned Queen and her family,
the royal waving, the crowds' adoration.
Then, the fly pass culmination, all present gazing skywards.
It was such an amazing experience for us all in those days,
a memory that has lived with us for all these past years.

Today, watching the Coronation of Charles III,
again, even though reduced in size,
the amazing procession precision,
the Coronation in Westminster Abbey,
the pomp, the ceremony, the crowning,
the clothes, the robes.
So too, the balcony scene, the waves, the fly pass.
What wonderful memories it brought back of 70 years ago.

Written in Courtice, Ontario - 6th May 2023.