Too Much To Ask

secular/religious conflict

The lines were drawn
Confrontation was clear
Henry wanted out of his marriage
And no one should interfere

The Pope told him "NO"
That did not sit well
So he decided that HE
Would be the one to tell

He garnered some men
Who would not tell him no
Made them "clergy"
Their opinion they'd show

Katherine was out
Anne was now in
The Pope is irrelevant
The King decides now what is "sin"

Strife continued
For many, many years
Religion's many faces
Caused a multitude of fears

He made the people swear
That Henry could do no wrong
Or their lives would be forfeit
It was decreed to the throng

Henry changed the face of religion
He who once stood firm
But because of frailty of mind
His faith he did spurn

Line Count: 28

Prompt ▶︎

Prompt for Writer's Cramp
Nov 4, 2022

On Nov 3, 1534, the English parliament passed the Act of Supremacy, making king Henry VIII head of the Church of England.
Write a poem or story about a conflict/collision/confrontation between religious and secular powers

Update 9/9/23 ▶︎

Added drop notes and modified verse four and the last verse according to a review suggestion by Cyndee Paulson-Heer