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In St Peter's Square,
Holy smoke and a shy smile
Of Bavarian piety and curial power.
Funeral oration,
Conclave sermon,
Acceptance address:
Momentous momentum.
A hard act to follow,
They chose a hard man.
In thinking, penetrative;
In doctrine, conservative;
In power, effective;
In discipline, pressive:
Continuity reigns.
Enforcer becomes caretaker
To take care of Europe;
Lost continent, now
The option for mission;
Postmodern, enlarging,
Deserting tradition.
Joseph Ratzinger:
Perhaps, for some time,
Last Pope from Europe.
Africa, Latin America,
Burgeon and beckon.
A conservative caretaker,
Astounded the sixties:
May Benedict the sixteenth
Surprise us with blessing.
Graham Kings
Vicar of St Mary Islington
20 April 2005
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