Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE GADFLY, by JOHN KEATS Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: All gentle folks who owe a grudge Last Line: The gadfly's little sting. | ||||||||
(FROM A LETTER TO TOM KEATS) I. ALL gentle folks who owe a grudge To any living thing Open your ears and stay your t[r]udge Whilst I in dudgeon sing. II. The Gadfly he hath stung me sore-- O may he ne'er sting you! But we have many a horrid bore He may sting black and blue. III. Has any here an old grey Mare With three legs all her store, O put it to her Buttocks bare And straight she'll run on four. IV. Has any here a Lawyer suit Of Seventeen-Forty-Three, Take Lawyer's nose and put it to 't And you the end will see. V. Is there a Man in Parliament Dum[b-]founder'd in his speech, O let his neighbour make a rent And put one in his breech. VI. O Lowther how much better thou Hadst figur'd t'other day When to the folks thou mad'st a bow And hadst no more to say VII. If lucky Gadfly had but ta'en His seat * * * And put thee to a little pain To save thee from a worse. VIII. Better than Southey it had been, Better than Mr. D--, Better than Wordsworth too, I ween, Better than Mr. V--. IX. Forgive me pray good people all For deviating so-- In spirit sure I had a call-- And now I on will go. X. Has any here a daughter fair Too fond of reading novels, Too apt to fall in love with care And charming Mister Lovels, XI. O put a Gadfly to that thing She keeps so white and pert-- I mean the finger for the ring, And it will breed a wort. XII. Has any here a pious spouse Who seven times a day Scolds as King David pray'd, to chouse And have her holy way-- XIII. O let a Gadfly's little sting Persuade her sacred tongue That noises are a common thing. But that her bell has rung. XIV. And as this is the summum bonum of all conquering, I leave "withouten wordes mo" The Gadfly's little sting. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...EXTRACTS FROM AN OPERA: 2. DAISY'S SONG by JOHN KEATS ITALY SWEET TOO! by JOHN KEATS LA BELLE DAME SANS MERCI by JOHN KEATS LAST SONNET (REVISED VERSION) by JOHN KEATS LINES ON THE MERMAID TAVERN by JOHN KEATS ODE ON A GRECIAN URN by JOHN KEATS |
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