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.
The Rt Revd Dr Graham Kings is Honorary Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Ely and Research Associate at the Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide.