Paul Goldberg’s poem While sleeping in my bed appeared here in June 2010.
The queen turns thirteen
By Paul Goldberg
The little queen turns thirteen. She looked at her kingdom and heard her subjects about.
Her wisdom did shout to her age once again, “Catch up with me, don’t make this a rout.”
Her age replied quickly, “Thirteen’s quite the haul, just be patient with me, I am still at the mall.”
Humor heard patience and they laughed hand in hand for they thought their accommodations to each other rather grand. They knew no strife and enjoyed their positions. The queen took their counsel with great recognition.
“Rank has its place,” said goodness to kindness. Each smiled at the other with love in their eyes for they knew the queen’s mother would never have them compromise.
In the court of the queen not far from the throne saw courage and conscience conversing alone. “We widen the kingdom, we broaden the land, our horizons, our landscapes are ever so grand, but orders are orders and ours are quite clear, never stray far apart and never from fear.”
The queen’s tailor of beauty both inner and outer met the baker of taste for a midnight outer. “Our skills are sublime, they both came to agree. We have come a long way since we were three.”
The generals of life, the dukes of good will, the maidens of taste, the jester of love, all the court stood there on this day to wish the queen a happy thirteenth birthday.
