SAY, sire of insects, mighty Sol (A Fly upon the chariot pole Cries out), what Blue-bottle alive Did ever with such fury drive? Tell Beelzebub, great father, tell, (Says t'other, perched upon the wheel) Did ever any mortal Fly Raise such a cloud of dust as I! My judgment turned the whole debate: My valour saved the sinking state. So talk two idle buzzing things; Toss up their heads, and stretch their wings. But let the truth to light be brought: This neither spoke, nor t'other fought; No merit in their own behaviour: Both raised, but by their party's favour. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...TO BE CLOSELY WRITTEN ON A SMALL PIECE OF PAPER by WILLIAM CARLOS WILLIAMS ONLY ONE MOTHER by GEORGE COOPER EARLY MORN by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES FRIENDSHIP by RALPH WALDO EMERSON HER DILEMMA; IN CHURCH by THOMAS HARDY THE HERITAGE by JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL SONNETS FOR PICTURES: A VENETIAN PASTORAL (BY GIOGIONE) by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI |