Changing the Guard

I am researching in
London, England and
Play hooky to see the
Changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.
Walking over, I to stand on
The oval before the Palace,
Ten feet from a short, ancient
English lady in a brown tweed
Suit, we nod but may not
Speak, it is 1973.
A Bavarian tourist and his
Wife enter the empty oval
Filming the pattern of the
Bricks ahead of the
Ceremony, clever. A blimp approaching from behind
The Palace begins to lose
Altitude in a downdraft,
The English lady looks at
Me in alarm, the blimp May
Knock over a spire on the
Palace into the oval.
She steps into the oval,
Walks to the Bavarian,
Pulls on his sleeve,
Points to the blimp pouring out
Water to gain altitude and says,
“I say, look theah!”
He glances up and goes back to filming brick patterns,
Saying, “Ja, Ja. We have those
In Germany.” She walks back,
Stands beside me, and says,
“That’s why they lost the wah.”
The blimp gains altitude,
She and I talk and the
Crowds gather to
Watch the Guards
Troop the colors.