When I spent a semester in London many years ago my friends and I ended up not doing a lot of the touristy things you might expect. And one of the things we never saw was the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace. We did see the palace. We saw the guard there, but never were there for the "changing of the guard".
Yet, this poem by A.A. Milne reminds me of that time.
And - okay - here's the full story about our trip to Buckingham Palace. We were doing our 'let's be tourists' for the day thing - and we had a pathetic little tourist map and very little information. We came to a large building opposite a large statue of a woman (Queen Victoria as it turns out). We went up to the fence of the building (you'd think there'd be signs or something saying "This is Buckingham Palace" but there weren't - I guess you're just supposed to know, kind of like the White House.) But the guards were there and there were signs that indicated what time the "changing of the guard" took place. This resulted in some consultation between us and we decided that, yes, it was Buckingham Palace where the changing of the guard took place - so that must be where we were.
Without further ado:
Buckingham Palace
by A. A. Milne
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
Alice is marrying one of the guard.
"A soldier's life is terrible hard,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We saw a guard in a sentry-box.
"One of the sergeants looks after their socks,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We looked for the King, but he never came.
"Well, God take care of him, all the same,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
They've great big parties inside the grounds.
"I wouldn't be King for a hundred pounds,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
A face looked out, but it wasn't the King's.
"He's much too busy a-signing things,"
Says Alice.
They're changing guard at Buckingham Palace -
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
"Do you think the King knows all about me?"
"Sure to, dear, but it's time for tea,"
Says Alice.
The Poetry Friday Round Up is by Sarah at just another day of Catholic Pondering.
2 comments:
Thanks for the poem!
I've seen the Changing of the Guard at Arlington a few times, and loved it each time!
I have loved this poem since I was a young child. I think Captain Kangaroo used to play the song of the poem on his morning kid's show. I can still hear it in my head and remember the graphics on our b&w portable tv.
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