Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A FIT OF RHYME AGAINST RHYME [OR, RIME], by BEN JONSON Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Rhyme, the rack of finest wits Last Line: Was the founder! Subject(s): Poetry & Poets; Rhyme | ||||||||
Rhyme, the rack of finest wits, That expresseth but by fits True conceit, Spoiling senses of their treasure, Cozening judgment with a measure, But false weight; Wresting words from their true calling; Propping verse for fear of falling To the ground; Jointing syllables, drowning letters, Fastening vowels, as with fetters They were bound! Soon as lazy thou wert known, All good poetry hence was flown, And art banished: For thousand years together, All Parnassus' green did wither, And wit vanished! Pegasus did fly away, At the wells no Muse did stay, But bewailed, So to see the fountain dry, And Apollo's music die, All light failed! Starveling rhymes did fill the stage, Not a poet in an age Worthy crowning. Not a work deserving bays, Nor a line deserving praise, Pallas frowning: Greek was free from rhyme's infection, Happy Greek, by this protection, Was not spoiled. Whilst the Latin, queen of tongues, Is not yet free from rhyme's wrongs, But rests foiled. Scarce the hill again doth flourish, Scarce the world a wit doth nourish To restore Phoebus to his crown again, And the Muses to their brain, As before. Vulgar languages that want Words, and sweetness, and be scant Of true measure, Tyrant rhyme hath so abused, That they long since have refused Other caesure. He that first invented thee, May his joints tormented be, Cramped for ever; Still may syllabes jar with time, Still may reason war with rhyme, Resting never! May his sense when it would meet The cold tumor in his feet, Grow unsounder; And his title be long fool, That in rearing such a school Was the founder! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CATCH A LITTLE RHYME by EVE MERRIAM ESSAY: THE INFINITE ASSONANCES WITHIN by ELENI SIKELIANOS SWEATER WEATHER: A LOVE SONG TO LANGUAGE by SHARON BRYAN A RHYME by ALGERNON CHARLES SWINBURNE ERRING IN COMPANY by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS ON THE INDESTRUCTIBILITY OF READING MATTER by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS THE BARD'S EXCUSE by FRANKLIN PIERCE ADAMS VERSES TO RHYME WITH 'ROSE' (2) by JANE AUSTEN A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 1. HIS EXCUSE FOR LOVING by BEN JONSON A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 4. HER TRIUMPH by BEN JONSON A CELEBRATION OF CHARIS: 5. HIS DISCOURSE WITH CUPID by BEN JONSON |
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