The Reign in Spain (poem)

THE REIGN IN SPAIN IS GOING DOWN THE DRAIN!
(Apol. to G.B.S., G. Pascal & to Lerner & Loewe.)

(6/1/14. The media reports 62% of Spaniards want the
monarchy abolished. The King’s popularity declined after
being photographed shooting elephants---despite being
a WWF patron. His family is mired in a financial scandal.)

The Reign in Spain is falling down,
And slowly going down the drain;
As many Spaniards can’t be arsed,
With Royals on their lofty plane.

The Spanish feel the Bourbons take,
The biscuit with their lavish ways;
And once again are thinking of,
Consigning them to olden days.

The monarchy seems out of sorts,
On its anachronistic feet;
The House of Bourbon represents,  
A dynasty that’s now effete.

Whilst swanning on safari tour,
In Africa, Botswana way;
King Carlos shot an elephant,
Then faced his own auto-de-fe. (1)  
 
At home his subjects struggled through,
And many who were unemployed;
Had watched the royal goings on,
And really weren’t too overjoyed!

Thus from the King’s own point of view,
The climate once Iberian;
Is slowly growing cooler and,
Could well become Siberian!

If he took flight (and having flown)
This variant of ‘Spanish Fly’;
Would urge all monarchs to “Go forth”,
But not, perforce, “To multiply”!

Is it ‘Hasta la vista’ for,
Juan Carlos as the Spanish King?
And is the Bourbon monarchy,
Close to its cream-filled final fling?!

(1) Medieval Spanish for Portuguese auto-da-fé –
literally ‘act of faith’ but a ritual of public penance.

© Richard Layton