During your reign,

Many empires have come and gone;

Alliances made, sealed and broken;

Wars fought, some won and some lost;

Great men and women born and some dead;

Great events, pleasant and unpleasant have come and gone,

But like the Gibraltar rock,

You are marching on in your majestic splendour and dignified aura,

And ever luxuriant like the tree by the Thames,

With your name still reverberating

In every continent and ocean of the world.

Elizabeth, perfect role model and inspiration for the young and old,

Quintessence of womanhood in an Age lacking in virtues,

You who always hold out the olive branch for world peace;

Elizabeth, adored and revered by all in all realms and climes,

The peoples of the world uniting in spirit

And in aim, join Great Britain to salute Your Majesty

As you celebrate today,

And if life begins at forty,

Then it doubly begins at 80!

• JOHN ODEY ADUMA.

From the POETRY OF JOHN ODEY ADUMA, written on April 26, 2006 to honour Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II on her 80^th birthday.