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On Alexander Pope's Mock-Epic Poem, The Dunciad; An Episode Of Literary History
Cibber and Theobald could not ascend the towering slope
of literary knowledge and of verbal quality:
and, envious haters---both---they spewed libellous perfidy
and personal abuse to an utmost, extreme degree
against that small man of high stature, Alexander Pope,
toward whom they bore a chasmic grudge of wretched jealousy
because, deformed himself, he could turn lines of perfectly
balanced and measure syllables, each ending with pure rhymes
(like Andrew Marvell wrote, or William Shakespeare, in their times);
setting a new example of great English poetry.
Without their help or consult, he had made his preparation
duting his youth---when he received a certain education.
To write as he did, they would have sold their souls to damnation
(but Satan did not place upon those souls much valuation).
They hated every word that Alexander Pope wrote, or had said;
because that vast accumulation always could remind
both of them that, among the books, they were sadly unread,
illiterate, incompetent, uncouth and unrefined.
I think what pissed them off the most, causing their rage to burn,
was that the Poet did not think that he needed to learn
one damn thing from their stumbles, that they had nothing to teach
him, as all literary knowledge was beyond the reach
of their mental---emotional---verbal capacities
(their brains could have hung signs out that announced large VACANCIES).
Talent, skill, sense---those two buffons did not possess one ounce
between them; smarter than them, both, was Pope's Mastiff bitch, Bounce.
Whom do we now remember with homage at Twickenham;
whom do we now regret as posers with an empty sham?
Whose poems are still taught in our colleges and higher schools
(here is a hint---it is not either one of those damned fools').
Who are remembered as the hangers-on of Pope's coat-tails?---
Cibber and Theobald, each one a dunce of epic fails.
But if you are asked formally (a test you need not cram
for) be aware that for their hatred, God does give a damn.
Starward
