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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
ON BURNING A DULL POEM; WRITTEN IN 1729, by JONATHAN SWIFT Poet's Biography First Line: An ass's hoof alone can hold Last Line: Though born in snow, it died in flame. Subject(s): Hate | |||
An ass's hoof alone can hold That poisonous juice which kills by cold. Methought, when I this poem read, No vessel but an ass's head, Such frigid fustian could contain; I mean the head without the brain. The cold conceits, the chilling thoughts, Went down like stupefying draughts: I found my head began to swim, A numbness crept through every limb: In haste, with imprecations dire, I threw the volume in the fire: When, who could think, though cold as ice, It burnt to ashes in a trice. How could I more enhance its fame? Though born in snow, it died in flame. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...LOVE THE WILD SWAN by ROBINSON JEFFERS HATRED by GWENDOLYN B. BENNETT TO AN ENEMY by MAXWELL BODENHEIM JACK ROSE by MAXWELL BODENHEIM THE PEOPLE OF THE OTHER VILLAGE by THOMAS LUX IN STRANGE EVENTS by WILLIAM MEREDITH LINES FOR A CHRISTMAS CARD by HILAIRE BELLOC LINES TO A DON by HILAIRE BELLOC A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG NYMPH GOING TO BED by JONATHAN SWIFT |
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