by Keats · Cluster: Satire of Society · Epigram · Satire
Abstract
A comic squib invoking the gadfly’s sting to torment lawyers, politicians, and pious scolds, mocking public figures. It is a verse satire of society through the figure of the fool and animal imagery.
Connections
Archetypes: Fool Motifs: Animals Themes & Concepts: Satire of Society Forms & Genres: Satire, Comic Verse Song
Testo integrale / Full text
From a Letter to Tom Keats
I
All gentle folks who owe a grudge
To any living thing
Open your ears and stay your trudge
Whilst I in dudgeon sing.
II
The Gadfly he hath stung me sore -
O may he ne’er sting you!
But we have many a horrid bore
He may sting black and blue.
III
Has any here an old grey Mare
With three legs all her store,
O put it to her Buttocks bare
And straight she’ll run on four.
IV
Has any here a Lawyer suit
Of Seventeen-Forty-Three,
Take Lawyer’s nose and put it to’t
And you the end will see.
V
Is there a Man in Parliament
Dumbfounder’d in his speech,
O let his neighbour make a rent
And put one in his breech.
VI
O Lowther how much better thou
Hadst figur’d t’other day
When to the folks thou mad’st a bow
And hadst no more to say
VII
If lucky Gadfly had but ta’en
His seat…
And put thee to a little pain
To save thee from a worse.
VIII
Better than Southey it had been,
Better than Mr D — ,
Better than Wordsworth too, I ween,
Better than Mr V — ,
IX
Forgive me pray good people all
For deviating so -
In spirit sure I had a call -
And now I on will go.
X
Has any here a daughter fair
Too fond of reading novels,
Too apt to fall in love with care
And charming Mister Lovels,
XI
O O put a Gadfly to that thing
She keeps so white and pert -
I I mean the finger for the ring,
And it will breed a wort.
XII
Has any here a pious spouse
Who seven times a day
Scolds as King David pray’d, to chouse
And have her holy way -
XIII
O O let a Gadfly’s little sting
Persuade her sacred tongue
That noises are a common thing.
But that her bell has rung.
XIV
And as this is the summum bo-
num of all conquering,
I I leave ‘withouten wordes mo’
The Gadfly’s little sting.