The Lady In Waiting – Written Monday 6th January 2005 (Aged 49)

The Lady In Waiting

The lady in waiting –
you know the one,
the one who moves without reason,
is blessed
by all the seasons.

The lady in waiting –
no grace, no humanity, no tone.
The lady in waiting –
ascends to the throne.

And everyone at court
is reminded that power is positional.
But we—
well, we, we just go to our homes.

I know from experience that all these places
resemble a royal court.
It is not experience that counts.
There is no talent,
with a reliable bounce.

And the power bought requires no actual skill
other than to dodge the sharks.
There is no talent to this kind of lark.

Just attach a leash,
and watch for the bark,
as your hope and wants are deescalating.
The royal court is not yours—
it’s for them:
the lady in waiting.

James Garratt – Monday 6th January 2025

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