poetry week

i was listening to radio 2 on the way home from a seminar in Hull, and there was poetry being read on the Jeremy Vine show...which kind of suprised me a little, however it was all sad poetry ( almost weeping at the wheel when W H Audan's 'stop all the clocks' came on ) :-). And low and behold in my evening Georgian literature lecture we were given Alexander Pope's ' The Rape of The Lock' to analyze for next week, so i thought the next couple of days i will post a couple of stanzas of this epic poem ( is humongous) :-( so here is todays little snippet :-)

With varying Vanities, from ev'ry Part,
They shift the moving Toyshop of their Heart;
Where Wigs with Wigs, with Sword-knots Sword-knots strive,
Beaus banish Beaus, and Coaches Coaches drive.
This erring Mortals Levity may call,
Oh blind to Truth! the Sylphs contrive it all.

Of these am I, who thy Protection claim,
A watchful Sprite, and Ariel is my Name.
Late, as I rang'd the Crystal Wilds of Air,
In the clear Mirror of thy ruling Star
I saw, alas! some dread Event impend,
E're to the Main this Morning Sun descend.
But Heav'n reveals not what, or how, or where:
Warn'd by thy Sylph, oh Pious Maid beware!
This to disclose is all thy Guardian can.
Beware of all, but most beware of Man!

He said; when Shock, who thought she slept too long,
Leapt up, and wak'd his Mistress with his Tongue.


At least it is humorous poem :-)