Sonnet for Salena

To celebrate the birthday of Salena Godden on 25th June, I composed her a sonnet. What a brilliant poet and beautiful person. Good luck to her! Long may she continue.

Stunning Salena, serene night-time’s queen,
Full moon of many a merry midnight,
Our guiding star, our centre of the scene,
General Godden, lead us to the big time:
It’s twenty years since your twentieth year,
And waves that washed against you seem hardly
To have aged you. Still here like Hastings Pier,
Still the maestro of the Soho Party.

May you live on long after we are gone
In every new fight between the old grey
Force of pen-refusing officialdom
And the honest, daring, living way.
Take us with you, pure-hearted believer,
Daughter of eternity: Salena.