What I did today.
Much have I travell’d in my antique books
And many poems short and long have read,
That recount the epic deeds of those now dead:
Brazen warriors and resourceful rooks.
Oft had I been told of a wrathful man,
Whose pride beneath the tents, and sneer of cold
Command, and grief, and speeches loud and bold
Show his author those passions well could scan.
Now on the wrinkled page this text appears:
“For know, thy blood, when next thou darest invade,
Shall stream in vengeance on my reeking blade.”
Nothing outside remains. After long years
Glory is forgotten even by shades,
Silent, upon a peak in Hades.
Comments
on 2005-06-08 0:56:50.0, Chopper commented:
Did he really rhyme shades and Hades?
Wow.
I'm Slim Hades, yes I'm the real Hades, all you other Hades is just pale shades...
and, further, on 2005-06-08 13:07:35.0, ben wolfson commented:
Shelley rhymed "frown" with "stone".
and, further, on 2005-06-08 13:17:43.0, tammy commented:
Tim Curry rhymed "pores" with "cause." It actually did rhyme.
and, further, on 2005-06-08 14:01:09.0, Matt Weiner commented:
Am I to understand that, except for the quoted material, that is your own original parody of "Ozymandias" and "On First Looking into Chapman's Homer"? That is pimp tight.
and, further, on 2005-06-08 14:36:18.0, ben wolfson commented:
That is what you are to understand.
and, further, on 2005-06-08 14:40:32.0, Matt Weiner commented:
You, indeed, are da man.
and, further, on 2005-06-08 15:10:06.0, dave zacuto commented:
Good poemery, ben
and, further, on 2005-06-08 15:55:06.0, ben wolfson commented:
Thanks. It occurred to me on the train home that Pride beneath the Tents would make great title for a safari-themed romance novel aimed at the furry audience.
and, further, on 2005-06-08 18:49:22.0, Craig commented:
This is great! Ben, your talents are wasted on this late and diminished age.
and, further, on 2005-06-09 7:15:29.0, Matt Weiner commented:
Rereading this, I am moved once again to remark its tightness and pimposity. Damn. The quote of 'sneer of cold command', moved so a different word rhymes, is especially smokin'.
This is definitely send-it-off-to-a-literary-journal good, or maybe too-good-to-send-to-a-literary-journal good. (Disclaimer: I don't own a literary journal.)
and, further, on 2005-06-09 7:15:53.0, Matt Weiner commented:
'remark' really should be 'remark on', I guess
and, further, on 2005-06-09 8:58:14.0, Chopper commented:
I find myself embarassed for not realizing this was something you wrote. Let me echo everyone's admiration--you're a man of many talents.
and, further, on 2012-10-20 9:59:22.0, Therese Sorey commented:
Can I use it when next I teach Shelley?
and, further, on 2012-10-20 10:42:04.0, ben w commented:
But of course.