For Queen Elizabeth II

I wish to first apologize to all of you for not posting a blog last week. I will be making another post, in addition to this one, on Tuesday. The special surprise I mentioned last time will be in that post. For now, I wanted to share something personal with my readers. I had a lot of respect, love and admiration for Queen Elizabeth II. Learning of her death this week has hit me a lot harder than I expected it to. As such, whenever my emotions become too much for me, I decided to take a step back this morning, reflect on my thoughts of Her, and to write the following poem. I hope you will all enjoy it. With Peace and Love.

P.S. I took the two photos out of this beautiful article from the New York Times.
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​For Thy Country
Written, with love, for Queen Elizabeth II
By Jeremy Gernhaelder


In your homeland they say,
"For God, For Queen, and For Country",
A heavy burden for any individual,
And one you were not destined to bear,
But you did so with a smile.


Born to privilege and to duty,
Part of a noble heritage,
One regarded with reverence and distain alike,
Yet I cannot help to wonder,
Is this what you really wanted?


I see photos of your youth,
Innocent pictures with your pets
Family stills of a different time,
A different life,
One not yet bound to the crown.


So easy it would be,
For many to scorn you,
To look upon your life with envious and bitter eyes,
But I wonder how many could have stepped into your shoes?
How many people could have shoulder such a heavy burden?


You alone had to strength and courage,
To wear the crown,
To honour your people,
To lead them through joy and strife,
And now you are gone.


Will the world ever know of your fortitude?
Will there ever be another to rule as you did?
To show compassion for the people,
To navigate them through the journey to this modern world and beyond it,
Will we ever know another Queen with the greatness of Elizabeth II?


In your homeland they said,
"For God, For Queen, and For Country",
You have served your people faithfully,
You have honoured your God,
And now it is time for you to rest and for your people to mourn.


May God bless and protect the Queen.
And may all hail Elizabeth II one final time,
For long has she reigned.
A burden she accepted with a smile,
For a country and a world that she loved.