way of choosing

we ask for nothing but the best of life
our only hope becomes a solemn task
while we march on to tune of drum and fife
you'd not expect us in our pomp to bask
in the applause that seems to be a mask
not just for hope but for a greater pride
a thing that not a soul could hope to hide
beyond the world in places yet unseen
we turn our feet at last and head inside
who we acclaim is minister not queen

what we must know is all trouble and strife
until we fit the bung back in the cask
the issue with grave portent shall be rife
we find that each of us could fill a flask
but would not want as yet to overtask
and so we let the worst of them all slide
past all the ones who still ought to decide
just what the symbols and the sigils mean
we tell them that for you they have to bide
who we acclaim is minister not queen

each of us knows the answer man or wife
there's one who's service is just to bemask
the face of one who knows to wield the knife
but whose true name we would not dare to ask
beneath a cover satin or damask
we would not ever want you to deride
the honest worker and the deicide
or choose which way the flag will have to lean
there are so many ways to choose a side
who we acclaim is minister not queen

prince you reveal that you know just who lied
when asked just who was taken for a ride
but that's no proper way to set the scene
we have no complex message to elide
but have to honour the one who must guide
who we acclaim is minister not queen