Roger Caldwell
The Sentence of History
Richard looked out from his tower,
wondered, seeing the open plain
across which the common people walked
once his subjects, what the pain was worth
of being king if, from confinement,
he now must see the lowest serf
enjoy a freedom he would never know
who faced a dungeon and ignoble death,
his queen meanwhile - no longer his -
elsewhere looking to the distance
for the long procession at the head of which
the triumphant horseman whom she took,
not knowing that the tide had turned,
at first for Richard, saw was Bolingbroke,
finding it no comfort then to know
her role in history on the defeated side
was nonetheless secure, although the crowd
outside the window, mere bit-actors on the scene
and ignorant of history’s claim,
had the better view who, toiling on
anonymous through all their daily tasks,
might doubt what difference it would make
to life, whoever should be king or queen.
wondered, seeing the open plain
across which the common people walked
once his subjects, what the pain was worth
of being king if, from confinement,
he now must see the lowest serf
enjoy a freedom he would never know
who faced a dungeon and ignoble death,
his queen meanwhile - no longer his -
elsewhere looking to the distance
for the long procession at the head of which
the triumphant horseman whom she took,
not knowing that the tide had turned,
at first for Richard, saw was Bolingbroke,
finding it no comfort then to know
her role in history on the defeated side
was nonetheless secure, although the crowd
outside the window, mere bit-actors on the scene
and ignorant of history’s claim,
had the better view who, toiling on
anonymous through all their daily tasks,
might doubt what difference it would make
to life, whoever should be king or queen.
Page(s) 15
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