September 2020
Stephen Howarth
stephen@stephenhowarth.com
stephen@stephenhowarth.com
Bio Note: I have been an independent professional author of history all my working life.
I served in the Royal Naval Reserves both on the lower deck and as an officer, and wrote the official
centenary history of the RNR – for which I was appointed an honorary Commander by HM the Queen. I am a
Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and of the Royal Geographical Society, and a Life Member of the
US Naval Institute and The 1805 Club. I earned a Master’s degree (with Distinction) in creative writing
at Nottingham Trent University.
Author's Note: Poems often arise from unexpected circumstances. I'm British (1/8 Scottish, 3/8 English, and half Shetland) and am fortunate enough to have many real-life good American friends, literally from coast to coast. A few years back, one of my Californian friends (a lawyer) asked if I could arrange a dinner for 80 members of the State Bar of California -- in the House of Lords, if you please. I don't know why he thought I could fix it for him. But then came two magnificent and unexpected coincidences. I was invited to an informal lunch with the prime minister of Norway, and there I met the present Advocate General for Scotland, who is a senior lawyer and a member of the House of Lords (and also a very kind man). Things fell quite swiftly into place, until all that was lacking was a Grace. My offering was well received, being light-hearted but with a serious point; and if you or any of your lawyer friends would like to use it, then you are most welcome to do so. A credit to the poet is all I ask.
Author's Note: Poems often arise from unexpected circumstances. I'm British (1/8 Scottish, 3/8 English, and half Shetland) and am fortunate enough to have many real-life good American friends, literally from coast to coast. A few years back, one of my Californian friends (a lawyer) asked if I could arrange a dinner for 80 members of the State Bar of California -- in the House of Lords, if you please. I don't know why he thought I could fix it for him. But then came two magnificent and unexpected coincidences. I was invited to an informal lunch with the prime minister of Norway, and there I met the present Advocate General for Scotland, who is a senior lawyer and a member of the House of Lords (and also a very kind man). Things fell quite swiftly into place, until all that was lacking was a Grace. My offering was well received, being light-hearted but with a serious point; and if you or any of your lawyer friends would like to use it, then you are most welcome to do so. A credit to the poet is all I ask.
The Grace Of The Lawyers
May our clerks be always patient, may they keep us well advised;
May our clients all be honest, and our opponents full of lies.
May our briefs be always brief, and our costly cases long;
May our judges always recognize that we are never wrong.
But should it sometimes happen that for witty words we're short -
Or should it sometimes happen that the criminal's not caught -
Or should it sometimes happen that the jury has been bought -
Or should it EVER happen that we can't define the tort...
Well then: Forgive us, Lord, and give us grace
To know you've put us in our place;
And we give thanks to dine with friends,
And bless this meal, till judgement ends.
©2020 Stephen Howarth
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