Royal Funeral

The Queen stepped ahead of the gun carriage

That bore the country’s king,

He’d died, they said, in the early hours

In the palace’s east wing,

And now he rode in a state of grace

As the people lined his way,

His coffin high on the gun carriage

Pulled by a pair of greys.

The Queen was hid by a widow’s veil

That covered the sovereign’s face,

It stopped them seeing the evil smile

Hidden behind the lace,

For way behind in a carriage, mad

With power, and bedecked with rings,

And wearing the crown his father had

He was now, ‘Long live the King!’

The Horse Guards led the procession with

Their sabres raised to the sky,

Then came the Dukes and Duchesses

And never an eye was dry,

The King who died was a pleasant king

And beloved of the people’s grace,

So thousands of flags were waved for him

As he travelled along that place.

Then as they reached Horse Guards Parade

The gun carriage gave a lurch,

It hadn’t been fixed too firmly when

They set it up at the church,

The coffin came flying off the top

Flew open and hit the ground,

That’s when a pile of pale white bones

Were scattered about and around.

And rising up from a mutter, there

Was a roar from the waiting crowd,

It started off with a stutter, then 

With a bellowing rage, aloud,

A pile of bones from a new dead king

Just what were they trying to prove?

The Queen was seized by the angry crowd

And her widow’s veil removed.

The Queen with platitudes, tried to speak

But her words were heard in vain,

The people wanted their funeral

There was no way to explain,

They set the coffin back where it was

And ignored her screams and cries,

A single nail in the coffin lid

And a royal to despise.

Then all the way to the cemetery

The people pulled the Queen,

Safe on top of the gun carriage

And only a muffled scream,

The King, arrested, was buried first

In a hole, a deeper drop,

And then his mother, as would beseem

In her coffin, on the top.

And all the while the old king sat

On a terrace in Tuscany,

Sampling all the local wines

And savouring to be free,

Never again to hear the whine

Of that dreadful troll, the Queen,

Or kissing another baby’s head,

Life was but a dream!

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[emmajoy]

Oh my goodness, what an unexpected finale! Clever stuff, Mr. Paget. (OTHER - reviewers do not rush to the end and ruin this fine poem for yourse!ves

As ever your fantastic meter around and within a great tale. - creepy, villainous and all. Seems writing your tales in this medium comes easily to and for you' tho' am certain you examine and re.examine til to your liking.

This has a touch of the macabre.. a touch of Ingoldsby perhaps. Very much your usual standard and quality, sir. .

[A Soap Mess Stories]

What an unexpected twist to this tale. A lovely read as always.

[Helen Crutchett]

Very clever indeed. You never cease to amaze readers with your brilliance simply flowing as a river, leading us to unseen pastures and pleasure. Plus surprise upon surprise with 'shock-factor' Bravo!

[Coyote Poetry]

A perfect ending to the amazing poem and tale. I like the feel of the story leading to surprise ending. Always a pleasure to read your poetry and tale my friend.
Coyote

[No one]

The end was such a surprise. This is one of the best poems I read!

[Barbz]

How amazing that you have a way of holding ones attention to every well metered rhyme and amazing content. I thoroughly enjoyed this poem and wanted more.....so I treated myself to one of the many books of poems that I have shelved....all penned by you! I always discover the many phases of your imagination and wonder, How! Keep up the clever work, Master.....Barbz

[Valentine]

This has a surprise ending. I was not expecting him to still be alive surviving her wicked ways. Nice one, caught be napping I guess. Valentine