17 February 2019

#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



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