When the Queen Mother reached her ninetieth year
I was in Dartmouth in South Devon
The railway station in Kingswear
Was highly decorated
And many wore traditional costume
To celebrate the occasion
It was a very hot day
And on the beach
People wore very little
But small flags of celebration
Were still planted in the sand
There were no film posters
Advertising Spanish films
On the beach
I did not expect to see them
But was told that they were there
By two Spanish cousins
Twenty-six years later
With the Queen Mother long dead
Her daughter celebrated her ninetieth birthday
The day was not hot
And I was not on a beach
But in the Oxfordshire town
There were many film posters
Advertising Spanish films
I placed my hand on one
And one of the cousins spoke to me
Her name was Victoria
2014