Arts & Sciences

Nonsense Sapphics

by Samuel Taylor Coleridge 1772–1834

From Complete Poetical Works, ed. E. H. Coleridge (1912)

Arts & Sciences

Here's Jem's first copy of nonsense verses,
All in the antique style of Mistress Sappho,
Latin just like Horace the tuneful Roman,
Sapph's imitator:

But we Bards, we classical Lyric Poets,
Know a thing or two in a scurvy Planet:
Don't we, now? Eh? Brother Horatius Flaccus,
Tip us your paw, Lad:--

Here's to Mæcenas and the other worthies;
Rich men of England! would ye be immortal?
Patronise Genius, giving Cash and Praise to
Gillman Jacobus;

Gillman Jacobus, he of Merchant Taylors',
Minor ætate, ingenio at stupendus,
Sapphic, Heroic, Elegiac,--what a
Versificator!

MLA

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Nonsense Sapphics.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/coleridge/378/.

Chicago

Coleridge, Samuel Taylor. “Nonsense Sapphics.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/coleridge/378/.

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