The Spanish Armada

A poem for kids about Francis Drake and the Spanish Armada, by Paul Perro

Francis Drake playing bowls

Francis Drake was a pirate who
Sailed all around the world.
He liked to attack Spanish ships
And steal their jewels and gold.

He gave the treasure to the queen,
She thought him a hero.
The Spanish were scared and called him
The dragon, "El Draco."

One day Francis was playing bowls
With some friends by the sea,
When he spied some Spanish ships coming,
They'd come for their jewellery.

"Quick" said his friends, "Let's go at once
And chase those ships away!"
But Drake said "No, let's finish our game,
We still have time to play."

And when at last the game was over,
Francis Drake said "Right!
Let's play a trick on the Spanish,
We'll give them such a fright."

He took an empty ship and he
Set fire to the mast,
Then pushed it at the Spanish who
Were looking on, aghast.

They saw the fireship coming
And they were filled with fear.
"The dragon!" they said,"Vamanos!
Let's get out of here!"

The Armada turned around
And headed back to Spain.
Drake laughed and shouted out at them
"Don't dare come back again!"

Drake was viewed as a pirate by the Spanish, and he did defeat their invasion fleet (the "Armada”) using fireships that broke their formation, causing them to retreat back to Spain. The story of him demanding to finish his game of bowls may be true, but is more likely to be a myth.

Back to British History from The Spanish Armada