Classic and Contemporary Poetry: Explained

John Frederick Nims’ "Phryne" is a sharp, epigrammatic commentary on both historical and contemporary uses of the female body in public spectacle. The poem is composed of a single rhyming couplet, a compact structure that lends itself to a witty, cutting tone. In these two lines, Nims draws a parallel between the legendary ancient Greek courtesan Phryne, who allegedly bared herself before a jury to secure acquittal, and modern female poets who, he implies, use self-exposure in their work for attention or validation.

The first line, "They stripped to win the jury once, those languorous sweet Greek bitches," recalls the famous story of Phryne, a renowned courtesan of ancient Greece, who, according to legend, was accused of impiety. When her lawyer, the orator Hypereides, saw that she was about to be condemned, he allegedly tore off her robe, revealing her body to the jurors. Supposedly, they were so struck by her beauty—believed to be divinely inspired—that they acquitted her. Nims' choice of words here is both evocative and biting. "Languorous sweet Greek bitches" drips with irony; "languorous" suggests seductive ease, "sweet" implies a deceptive softness, and "bitches" undercuts both with a coarse, dismissive tone. The juxtaposition of admiration and contempt in this phrase reflects the poet’s skeptical stance on using beauty and exposure as rhetorical devices.

The second line, "Today the lady-bards undress to count us out their stitches," moves from ancient Greece to modern literary culture. "Lady-bards" suggests contemporary female poets, and "undress" implies that they, like Phryne, expose themselves—though not literally, but through confessional poetry or self-revealing literature. The phrase "count us out their stitches" is especially layered. It could refer to stitching wounds—indicating that these poets reveal their pain and suffering in a performative way. It also suggests needlework, a traditionally feminine, meticulous craft, reinforcing the idea of careful self-presentation. The phrase carries a tone of skepticism, as if the poet sees this exposure as an act meant not for true revelation but for manipulation of an audience’s sympathy or admiration.

Structurally, the poem’s tight couplet mirrors the wit and precision of classical epigrams. The rhyme between "bitches" and "stitches" is jarring and humorous, giving the poem a biting edge. The contrast between the two scenarios—Phryne using her body to sway a jury, and modern poets using self-revelation to sway readers—suggests that, for Nims, there is little difference between these performances. Both, in his view, are tactics of persuasion relying on exposure, whether physical or emotional.

At its core, "Phryne" critiques the use of personal revelation—whether through nudity or confessional poetry—as a means of persuasion or validation. Nims appears to question the authenticity of such performances, implying that they are calculated rather than genuine. The poem’s caustic humor and conciseness reinforce this critique, making it a sharp, almost epigrammatic dismissal of both historical and modern forms of spectacle.

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