Social Commentaries

A Portrait from the Life

by Jonathan Swift 1667–1745

Social Commentaries

Come sit by my side, while this picture I draw:
In chattering a magpie, in pride a jackdaw;
A temper the devil himself could not bridle;
Impertinent mixture of busy and idle;
As rude as a bear, no mule half so crabbed;
She swills like a sow, and she breeds like a rabbit;
A housewife in bed, at table a slattern;
For all an example, for no one a pattern.
Now tell me, friend Thomas, Ford, Grattan, and Merry Dan,
Has this any likeness to good Madam Sheridan?

MLA

Swift, Jonathan. “A Portrait from the Life.” Poetry Codex, poetrycodex.com/poem/swift/311/.

Chicago

Swift, Jonathan. “A Portrait from the Life.” Poetry Codex. https://poetrycodex.com/poem/swift/311/.

Read this poem with the Codex →

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