Social Commentaries

A Burlesque Cantata

by Thomas Chatterton 1752–1770

From Poetical Works, ed. Skeat (1875)

Social Commentaries

Mounted aloft in Bristol's narrow streets,
Where pride and luxury with meanness meets,
A sturdy collier pressed the empty sack,
A troop of thousands swarming on his back;
When sudden to his rapt ecstatic view
Rose the brown beauties of his red-haired Sue
Music spontaneous echoed from his tongue,
And thus the lover rather bawled than sung.

AIR.
Zaunds! Pri'thee, pretty Zue, is it thee!
Odzookers, I mun have a kiss!
A sweetheart should always be free,
I whope you wunt take it amiss.
Thy peepers are blacker than caul,
Thy carcase is sound as a sack,
Thy visage is whiter than ball,
Odzookers, I mun have a smack!

RECITATIVE.
The swain descending, in his raptured arms
Held fast the goddess, and despoiled her charms.
Whilst, locked in Cupid's amorous embrace,
His jetty skinnis met her red bronzed face,
It seemed the sun when labouring in eclipse;
And on her nose he stamped his sable lips,
Pleased * * * *

MLA

Chatterton, Thomas. “A Burlesque Cantata.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/chatterton/74/.

Chicago

Chatterton, Thomas. “A Burlesque Cantata.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/chatterton/74/.

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