Tributes to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and Goodwill Messages to His Majesty the King, from the Leader of the Council, Leader of the Opposition and Councillors of the London Borough of Enfield
Minutes:
Cllr Suna Hurman, Deputy Mayor read the poem Floral Tribute.
Evening will come, however determined the late afternoon.
Limes and oaks in their last green flush, pearled in September mist.
I have conjured a lily to light these hours, a token of thanks.
Zones and auras of soft glare framing the brilliant globes.
A promise made and kept for life - that was your gift -
Because of which, here is a gift in return, glovewort to some,
Each shining bonnet guarded by stern lance-like leaves.
The country loaded its whole self into your slender hands,
Hands that can rest, now, relieved of a century’s weight.
Evening has come. Rain on the black locks and dark Munros.
Lily of the Valley, a namesake almost, a favourite flower
Interlaced with your famous bouquets the restrained
Zeal and forceful grace of its lanterns each fluorescent
A silent bill disclosing a singular voice. A blurred new day
Breaks uncrowned on remote peaks and public parks, and
Everything turned on these luminous petals and deep roots
This Lily that drives between spire and tree, whose brightness
Holds and glows beyond the life and border of its bloom.
Cllr Nesil Caliskan, Leader of the Council
Over the past 10 days the country has mourned the death of the Queen who loyally served our country for more than 70 years.
Our Full Council meeting this evening is an opportunity for members to commentate on an extraordinary life lived, recognising the outstanding service to the people of this country and the Commonwealth, service which is far too difficult to encapsulate in words.
It’s unsurprising that, according to reports, Her Majesty’s funeral was watched by a staggering 28 million people in the UK and as a many as 4 billion worldwide.
As the most recognisable woman in the world, a constant in the lives for most of us, the Queen has been the figurehead that many in our nation turned to for comfort and reassurance at times of uncertainty and distress.
From a World War to a global pandemic, she demonstrated a leadership that millions welcomed, often seeming to find the right words at exactly the right time. And of course, for seven decades, families up and down the country have planned their Christmas dinner around the time that the Queen’s Christmas message would be televised.
Madam Mayor, there is of course a view that disagrees with monarchies as a principle. But there is also an undeniable and an overwhelming affection towards the monarchy in this country, and across the world. Much of that is undoubtedly down to the Queen herself; her kindness, that so many have given testimonies about, and the giving ... view the full minutes text for item 6