A King’s Lament

My brother died leaving two young heirs, and enemies gaining ground

With choices little and friends so few, God offered me a crown

Then on a sudden friends were many, their trust as thin as ice

But none so vile as Buckingham, fate left me in a vice

My nephews vanished, out of reach–who silenced them with death?

Then caused the blame to fall on me for the stillness of their breath

Then many men began to fall, toward Tudor’s camp they sped

While losing many perceived friends, God took away my Ned

Grief-stricken, inconsolable, amidst such human strife

My dearest Anne could bear no more, God took away my wife

With Tudor coming ever close I saw no other choice

But to defend my ground, the Yorkist claim, God offered me no voice

I mustered up the greatest force, as much as I could yield

And took my claims, my honor too and fought at Bosworth Field

I could not bear to go to mass the night before the fray

I felt that God had closed his ears what use for me to pray?

With morale low, I wore the crown that stood for royalty

Francis opposed and Percy too yet I rode with dignity

Their distress, indeed, was justified, I was beaten, none did spare

Even after death they stabbed at me, not seeming much to care

Below Ambien Hill, in that golden field, where goodly seeds are sewn

A Lancastrian became a king, God took away my Throne

God help the man now that he’s king, to deal with men and strife

My time is o’er and with it too God took away my life