Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE DUKE OF GUISE: EPILOGUE: 2, by JOHN DRYDEN Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Two houses joined, two poets to a play? Last Line: But grunts, and groans, and ends at last in fumbling. Subject(s): Plays & Playwrights ; Politics & Government; Dramatists | ||||||||
Two Houses join'd, two Poets to a Play? You noisy Whigs will sure be pleas'd to-day; It looks so like two Shrieves the City Way. But since our Discords and Divisions cease, You, Bilboa-gallants, learn to keep the Peace; Make here no Tilts; let our poor Stage alone; Or if a decent Murder must be done, Pray take a civil Turn to Marybone. If not, I swear we'll pull up all our Benches; Not for your Sakes, but for our Orange-wenches: For you thrust wide sometimes, and many a Spark, That misses one, can hit the other Mark. This makes our Boxes full; for men of Sense Pay their four Shillings in their own Defence: That safe behind the Ladies they may stay, Peep o'er the Fan, and judge the bloody Fray. But other Foes give Beauty worse Alarms; The posse-poetarum's up in Arms: No Woman's Fame their libels has escap'd; Their Ink runs Venom, and their Pens are clapp'd. When Sighs and Prayers their ladies cannot move, They rail, write Treason, and turn Whigs to love. Nay, and I fear they worse Designs advance, There's a damn'd Love-trick new brought o'er from France. We charm in vain, and dress, and keep a Pother, While those false Rogues are ogling one another. All Sins besides admit some Expiation; But this against our Sex is plain Damnation. They join for Libels too, these Womenhaters; And as they club for Love, they club for Satyres: The best on't is they hurt not: for they wear Stings in their Tails; their only Venom's there. 'Tis true, some shot at first the Ladies hit, Which able Marksmen made and Men of Wit: But now the Fools give Fire, whose Bounce is louder; And yet, like mere Train-bands, they shoot but Powder. Libels, like Plots, sweep all in their first Fury; Then dwindle like an ignoramus Jury: Thus Age begins with towzing and with tumbling, But grunts, and groans, and ends at last in fumbling. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...ENDING WITH A LINE FROM LEAR by MARVIN BELL ENDING WITH A LINE FROM LEAR by MARVIN BELL SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#20): 1. SHAKESPEARE by MARVIN BELL SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#20): 1. SHAKESPEARE by MARVIN BELL SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#20): 2. SHAKESPEARE by MARVIN BELL SOUNDS OF THE RESURRECTED DEAD MAN'S FOOTSTEPS (#20): 2. SHAKESPEARE by MARVIN BELL YOUR SHAKESPEARE by MARVIN BELL YOUR SHAKESPEARE by MARVIN BELL A SONG FOR ST. CECILIA'S DAY by JOHN DRYDEN A SONG TO A FAIR YOUNG LADY GOING OUT OF TOWN IN THE SPRING by JOHN DRYDEN |
|