I picked up a book of epigrams and epitaphs at a second-hand bookshop. There is a lot of good stuff in it. Here are four short verses on poets:
On Peter Robinson
Here lies the preacher, judge, and poet, Peter
Who broke the laws of God, and man, and metre.
- Francis, Lord Jeffrey
On a Certain Poet
Pride in his pity, artifice his praise
A mask his virtue, and his fame a blaze;
Insult his charity, his friendship fear,
And nothing but his vanity, sincere.
- Anonymous (!)
Epigram
Yes, every poet is a fool:
By demonstration Ned can show it:
Happy, could Ned’s inverted rule
Prove every fool to be a poet.
- Svévole de Sainte-Marthe
Response
Sir, I admit your general rule
That every poet is a fool:
But you yourself may serve to show it,
That every fool is not a poet.
- Alexander Pope
(nice one, Mr. Pope!)
