No Jubilee

There’ll be no more Jubilees 

no more coronations

no royal weddings

no celebrations of privileged longevity

in the future

we’ll throw street parties to celebrate ourselves

our mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters

we’ll hang bunting from lamp-post to lamp-post

there’ll be blanket coverage on the television

and newspapers will publish souvenir editions

and when it’s all over

we’ll roll up the bunting and flags

clear up the plastic cups and paper plates

look at the photographs and videos we’ve taken

and be happy in the knowledge

that we are the glue of the nation

There’ll be no more Jubilees