Member poets still try to get comfortable in their seats; when out of the blue the Chair Lady asked “Has everybody got their invitations for the Coronation?” - writes Philip Marsden.

The answer showed that some had and some hadn’t but those that hadn’t had not yet opened their post having other things on their minds.

Apparently a replacement Chair person is occupying the minds of these “authors of the sublime”. Something important for the future. At which point, on a motion from the floor, we agreed to send two delegate Laureates to the Abbey. One gentleman and one lady. We would decide who the lucky laureates would be by drawing straws.

This small matter of Coronation arrangements had used up a good half of the meeting but the purpose of the meeting was not forgotten and the poets all did their turn or turns rattling off their pieces in strong Shakespearian mode.

Lorna, fresh from a mid-term break, recited her own work ‘In the morning’ and as the only Poet on the day willing to offer his/her own original work has been awarded the role of reserve co-Poet-Laureate at the Coronation.

She is now looking to borrow a coronet to wear with all the velvet ermine and lapis lazuli of the Court. She will carry this role with panache.

Denise has great authority in this Poetic crucible but has not had a moment in the last month to compose her own work. Accordingly she chose a work by Helen Steiner-Rice ‘Friendship’ and it was so full of feeling that I noticed tears in other poets eyes as I struggled to focus through mine.

I feel she would be good for lament at the next Royal Funeral whenever that may be. Diary note, please!

The assortment of young men amongst the members strutted their stuff with works by Ruth Ward, Spike Milligan amongst others. All wonderful stuff but I hope Miss Draper will not push Spike Milligan as a candidate at the anointing.

Finally, Chairperson Anne Draper made her bow with an account of a very major earthquake in Napier, New Zealand where 133 souls perished.

She of course hails from New Zealand and her memory is very sharp for the quake occurred in 1932. Lots of devastation, and suffering. Homes lost, families stricken.

And it says a lot for modern restorative medicine that though the Chair Lady must be at least 101 years old, she does not look a day over 62. But now we know the truth, her eviction from office will not appear to cruel.

There were many more poems. Too many to count and members look forward to the next events and the continuance of large numbers attending.

The next meeting is on April 16 at 3 pm, again in the marvellous Old Chapel on Lower Frog Street. The space, the ambience, the atmosphere, the acoustics cannot be matched. We still have a few spaces in membership for new attendees, both active and passive.

It is good to be a member of this Poetry Society, but hope that our delegates to the Coronation behave themselves.

For never forget, people, from their level of importance in society often ended up without their heads.