Page 55 - br-june-2022

June 2022 June 2022

The Queen in China ‘86

In China there was a warm welcome for the
Queen,
The first reigning British monarch China had seen.
As she stepped from her plane after a 17 hour
flight
The Queen dressed in yellow looked happy and
bright.

Next day a Royal salute boomed from 21 guns,
Then a glimpse of Oriental splendour that stuns!
A well rehearsed band the National Anthem
played.
The Queen was formally greeted and history was
made.

The Temple of Heaven, then a banquet in glittering
dress.
Next day a visit to the Great Wall – bound to
impress;
Little children, so delighted to dance for her and
sing,
Will surely linger in her memories of Beijing.

Over a thousand young voices sang a Shanghai
greeting
In a colourful ceremony – a dazzling meeting.
A walkabout to follow, in a Willow Pattern scene,
Before a Britannic banquet, given by the Queen.

She saw the tomb of Emperor Qin, in a pit so immense,
Attended by 8000 warriors of clay for his defence.
Then travelled on again to the City of Eternal Spring,
Where flowers always blossom and birds always sing.

To the seat of Celestial Heaven to sip Jasmine tea,
And at Canton one million faces in a human sea.
The Queen was warmly welcomed, and a good impression made –
Sino-British relations were improved by the part she played.

Eileen Richardson

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