Charles The Second's Attention Poem by Douglas Scotney

to his P-
to the detriment
of kingly duties and money,
and the kneading it needed
the older it got
were reported by poet John Wilmot -
as was his sympathy for kneader Nelly.

He was banished from Court
and for a crust,
in Italian disguise
and with merry-andrew Thomas Alcock,
set himself up as a quack -
assistants made medicines
from ashes, soap, brickdust and rock.

Soon Charles forgave -
John's wit he sorely missed.
He returned to revel, get sick, repent
and die of syphilis at 33 -
for all of his Attention,
the merry monarch would survive
to almost fifty five.