Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, SQUARE-CAP, by JOHN CLEVELAND


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

SQUARE-CAP, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Come hither, apollo's bouncing girl
Last Line: For if ever I have a man, square-cap for me!'


COME hither, Apollo's bouncing girl,
And in a whole Hippocrene of sherry
Let's drink a round till our brains do whirl,
Tuning our pipes to make ourselves merry.
A Cambridge lass, Venus-like, born of the froth
Of an old half-filled jug of barley-broth,
She, she is my mistress, her suitors are many,
But she'll have a Square-cap if e'er she have any.

And first, for the plush-sake, the Monmouth-cap comes,
Shaking his head like an empty bottle;
With his new-fangled oath by Jupiter's thumbs,
That to her health he'll begin a pottle.
He tells her that, after the death of his grannam,
He shall have God knows what per annum.
But still she replied, 'Good Sir, la-bee;
If ever I have a man, Square-cap for me!'

Then Calot Leather-cap strongly pleads,
And fain would derive the pedigree of fashion.
The antipodes wear their shoes on their heads,
And why may not we in their imitation?
Oh, how this football noddle would please,
If it were but well tossed on S. Thomas his leas!
But still she replied, 'Good sir, la-bee;
If ever I have a man, Square-cap for me!'

Next comes the Puritan in a wrought-cap,
With a long-waisted conscience towards a sister.
And, making a chapel of ease of her lap,
First he said grace and then he kissed her.
'Beloved,' quoth he, 'thou art my text.'
Then falls he to use and application next;
But then she replied, 'Your text, sir, I'll be;
For then I'm sure you'll ne'er handle me.'

But see where Satin-cap scouts about,
And fain would this wench in his fellowship marry.
He told her how such a man was not put out
Because his wedding he closely did carry.
He'll purchase induction by simony,
And offers her money her incumbent to be;
But still she replied, 'Good sir, la-bee;
If ever I have a man, Square-cap for me!'

The lawyer's a sophister by his round-cap,
Nor in their fallacies are they divided,
The one milks the pocket, the other the tap;
And yet this wench he fain would have brided.
'Come, leave these thread-bare scholars,' quoth he,
'And give me livery and seisin of thee.'
'But peace, John-a-Nokes, and leave your oration,
For I never will be your impropriation;
I pray you therefore, good sir, la-bee;
For if ever I have a man, Square-cap for me!'





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