Classic and Contemporary Poetry
A SATIRICAL ELEGY ON THE DEATH OF A LATE FAMOUS GENERAL, by JONATHAN SWIFT Recitation Poet's Biography First Line: His grace! Impossible! What dead! Last Line: Turn'd to that dirt from whence he sprung. Subject(s): Churchill, John (1650-1722); Marlborough, 1st Duke Of | ||||||||
His Grace! impossible! what dead! Of old age too, and in his bed! And could that Mighty Warrior fall? And so inglorious, after all! Well, since he's gone, no matter how, The last loud trump must wake him now: And, trust me, as the noise grows stronger, He'd wish to sleep a little longer. And could he be indeed so old As by the news-papers we're told? Threescore, I think, is pretty high; 'Twas time in conscience he should die. This world he cumber'd long enough; He burnt his candle to the snuff; And that's the reason some folks think, He left behind so great a s . . . k. Behold his funeral appears, Nor widow's sighs, nor orphan's tears, Wont at such times each heart to pierce, Attend the progress of his herse. But what of that, his friends may say, He had those honours in his day. True to his profit and his pride, He made them weep before he dy'd. Come hither, all ye empty things, Ye bubbles rais'd by breath of Kings; Who float upon the tide of state, Come hither, and behold your fate. Let pride be taught by this rebuke, How very mean a thing's a Duke; From all his ill-got honours flung, Turn'd to that dirt from whence he sprung. | Other Poems of Interest...THE BATTLE OF BLENHEIM by ROBERT SOUTHEY THE DEATH OF MARLBOROUGH by GEORGE WALTER THORNBURY JOHN DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH by MARY WORTLEY MONTAGU A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG NYMPH GOING TO BED by JONATHAN SWIFT A DESCRIPTION OF A CITY SHOWER by JONATHAN SWIFT A DESCRIPTION OF THE MORNING by JONATHAN SWIFT A GENTLE ECHO ON WOMAN (IN THE DORIC MANNER) by JONATHAN SWIFT AN EPIGRAM ON SCOLDING by JONATHAN SWIFT CLEVER TOM CLINCH GOING TO BE HANGED by JONATHAN SWIFT DICK, A MAGGOT by JONATHAN SWIFT DRAPIER'S HILL by JONATHAN SWIFT HELTER SKELTER; OR, THE HUE AND CRY AFTER THE ATTORNEYS by JONATHAN SWIFT |
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