#17 - Legacy, Part I

Cecily Neville (1415-1495CE) was an English noblewoman, the wife of Richard, Duke of York, and the mother of two kings of England, Edward IV and Richard III.

A mother wants to raise her kids aright –

to give them every chance to flourish, grow

up strong, compassionate, and erudite,

prepared for all that life may have to throw.

I paired each daughter with a goodly knight

(by ‘goodly’, I mean ‘having lots of dough’);

they lived as well-bred ladies, sweetness, light,

but then – my sons… my sons… I just don’t know.

Am I to blame if all they did was fight?

Did my maternal failings simply sow

the rancour that besmirched the rose of white?

If I could have a backsie, one more go,

I’d set aside those dreams of Dukes and Earls –

forget the boys, and stick to having girls.

AWB