By Carol Brenner

Listen, my children, and you shall hear

About Francis Bacon and Will Shakespeare

Bacon is Will and Shakespeare is Bacon

He wrote all those plays, and I’m not fakin’

Born a king to the Queen of the day

Hid in a box, he was carried away

By Elizabeth’s lady-in-waiting, they say

Cursed, unwanted and threatened with death,

Lady Anne entreated, interceded then left

Old Windsor Castle with a round painted box

Holding the royal son his own mother mocked

She carried him home and hid him away

’Til her stillborn child did save the day

She pretended Francis was hers all alone

And she and Nicholas called him their own

Queen Liz wasn’t keen on having a kid

For her, being mother was strictly forbid

She secretly married Leceister, the Earl

Under the virgin facade hid a flirtatious girl

Of the Queen’s deception, very few knew

A cruel fate for any who exposed what was true

Though blessed with two magnificent sons

Sadly, the selfish Queen wanted none

Francis, first-born, was the rightful heir

But the Queen and her counselor did not care

Confidant Cecil played hard on her fears

Leaving Francis with burden alone to bear

“No son of mine shall be England’s king,”

Shouted Elizabeth, her worst fear she sings

So Athena’s spear Francis did shake  

And wrote his true story for all of our sakes

Second son, Robert, the Earl of Essex

Brash, brazen, fiery and reckless

Francis tried with Robert to reason

But he rebelled and was tried for treason

Jailed in the Tower, he sent a ring

To plea for mercy from the Queen

Others lied and did the ring hide

Alas, no mercy and poor Essex died

Wretched Queen, now robbed of sleep

Finds love from Francis hers to keep

His torch is lit, and he lights the way

The Shakespeare plays ring in a new day