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Classic and Contemporary Poetry


VERSES SAID TO BE WRITTEN ON THE UNION by JONATHAN SWIFT

First Line: THE QUEEN HAS LATELY LOST A PART
Last Line: OUR CRAZY DOUBLE-BOTTOMED REALM.
Subject(s): SCOTLAND - RELATIONS WITH ENGLAND;

The Queen has lately lost a part
Of her entirely English heart,
For want of which by way of botch,
She pieced it up again with Scotch.
Blessed revolution, which creates
Divided hearts, united states.
See how the double nation lies;
Like a rich coat with skirts of frieze:
As if a man in making posies
Should bundle thistles up with roses.
Whoever yet a union saw
Of kingdoms, without faith or law.
Henceforward let no statesman dare,
A kingdom to a ship compare;
Lest he should call our commonweal,
A vessel with a double keel:
Which just like ours, new rigged and manned,
And got about a league from land,
By change of wind to leeward side
The pilot knew not how to guide.
So tossing faction will o'erwhelm
Our crazy double-bottomed realm.




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