Former British national poet Carol Ann Duffy has crafted a powerful poem reimagining Donald Trump’s royal dinner as taking place amid war ruins.
The poet, who held the laureate title for a decade, juxtaposes the “rocks and rubble” with sparkling jewels of the “great and good” in her poignant verses.
Royal Welcome alongside State Banquet
Donald Trump and his wife Melania arrived in Windsor on Wednesday and were welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, who then accompanied them to see the king and queen.
The monarch is hosting an official dinner with over 100 attendees at Windsor Castle that night, during which the two leaders are expected to deliver speeches.
International Unrest as well as Poetic Commentary
Amid the ceremony, the poem named STATE/BANQUET encourages readers to ponder on ongoing world conflicts, such as hostilities with Russia in addition to the crisis in Palestine.
Israeli forces announced an evacuation path for residents fleeing Gaza City this week, while an extensive ground offensive was launched following heavy shelling.
Based on data, most of Gazan deaths since October are civilians.
The Poem: STATE/BANQUET
Its sparkle and shines, The Grand Service,
among the stones and the rubble,
laid out on concrete U-shaped table,
multiple goblets per setting.
Requiring eight servants weeks of work to clean —
metal plated with a sheet of gold —
even the concrete dust appears glamourised
with destruction are decked in the uplifting flags for freedom.
To start, fillet of Dover sole stuffed with salmon mousse,
served on vegetable base with white wine sauce.
Poached Sandringham venison and fungi to follow,
then Key Lime Pie, accompanied by vintages,
Chateau Pichon-Longueville, 1990.
Delicious. Let the trumpets sound over the ruins
as the great and the good navigate the scene,
with a starving youth looks through a bullet-hole.
The president is the first US leader to receive another royal welcome in Britain. Those in re-election are typically offered a casual meeting with the monarch rather than a banquet.
The writer, the first woman to hold the poet laureate role, once shared feelings of discouragement due to global politics, citing what she called political upheavals.
