Lots of good stuff on this thread! My own contribution seems unworthy in comparison, but now that I've done it, what else am I going to do with it than put it up here?
The repetends are from Pope's Essay on Criticism (slightly altered to suit my convenience), where he is recommending the example of the Ancients (lines 165-6).
Though I started out having fun twisting Pope's lines, I'm afraid I didn't end up with a humorous verse. In fact, it may have come out sounding a little overwrought. Oh well, I hope it will be intelligible, and if it is that no one will think it autobiographical (it isn't).
"Straight-acting"
Let it be seldom and compelled by need
(When business calls you to another city)
And have at least some precedent to plead—
The Greeks perhaps—or, better, blame the weed
You’ll smoke tonight—oh hell! blame Aphrodite.
Let it be seldom that, compelled by need,
You join the dance you’ve always parodied:
Yoke your pleasure to the plow of duty—
You’ll have at least some precedent to plead.
Your lips pay tribute to the common creed,
Deny the summons of your deity.
Let it be seldom that, compelled by need,
You hear his urgent tune played on a reed—
And when your body heeds that lawless ditty
You’ll have at least some precedent to plead
If body capers unaccompanied
While you look on, detached as some committee.
Let it be seldom and compelled by need—
You’ll have at least some precedent to plead.
[This message has been edited by ChrisW (edited May 05, 2001).]
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