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The Poems of Jonathan Swift, Volume One

by Jonathan SWIFT (1667 - 1745)

A Prologue on Stroller Licensing

Sit back and listen to these light-hearted witty rhymes and see the world Jonathan Swift saw -- and maybe recognize your own. Think there is such a thing as corrupt rich guys who pretend they're God's gift to the world? So did Swift. Think some of these types strut around as if calls of nature don't apply to them? So did Swift. In one hilarious poem, he even describes gold diggers fighting over the loaded gentleman's gaseous offerings! His poem On Poetry, A Rhapsody, censored for treasonous mocking of the royal family, is in its rare uncensored form here. As free as he himself is with his sharp tongue against the blackened rich and corrupt , he knows others might have to kiss up to eat. So he includes many verses of advice on how to go about lying for a living, for example, "Your interest lies to learn the knack Of whitening what before was black." Despite the decay and hypocrisy he sees all around him he stays upbeat throughout -- even making fun out of his own tragic onset of deafness. You already know this giant of English literature for the great feast of prose he left us. Think of these delicious poems here as your sinful dessert. - Summary by Arthur Krolman

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Listen next episodes of The Poems of Jonathan Swift, Volume One:
A Beautiful Young Nymph , A Dialogue , A Libel on Dr. Delany and Lord Carteret , A Love Poem , A Love Song , A Pastoral Dialogue , A Quiet Life and a Good Name and Advice , A Young Lady's Complaint , An Apology to Lady Carteret , An Epistle to Lord Cartaret by Delany , An Epistle to Mr. Gay , An Epistle upon an Epistle , An Excellent New Ballad , An Invitation, by Dr. Delany , Answer to Prologue and Epilogue , Apollo; or A Problem Solved , Bouts Rimez , Carbery Rocks , Cassinus and Peter , Clever Tom Clinch , Copy of the Birthday Verses on Mr. Ford , Dean Smedley's Petition to the Duke , Desire and Possession , Directions for a Birthday Song , Dr. Delany to Dr. Swift and The Answer , Dr. Delany's Villa and Delville Window , Dr. Swift to Mr. Pope , Epigram by Mr. Bowyer , Epigrams on Busts in Richmond Hermitage , Epigrams on Windows , Epilogue for the Weavers , Epilogue to Mr. Hoppy , Helter Skelter , Judas , Miscellaneous , Ode on Science , On Burning a Dull Poem , On Censure , On Dreams , On Gaulstown House , On Paddy's Character , On Poetry, a Rhapsody , On Psyche , On Rover, a Lady's Spaniel , On Stephen Duck , On the Death of Dr. Swift , Parody on a Character of Dean Smedley , Paulus Epigram and The Answer , Prologue for the Weavers , Strephon and Chloe , Swift on his own Deafness , Swift's Birthday Presents , The Beasts' Confession , The Birth of Manly Virtue , The Country Life , The Day of Judgment , The Dean and Duke , The Dean's Manner of Living , The Elephant; or the Parliament Man , The Furniture of a Woman's Mind , The Hardship upon the Ladies , The Journal of a Modern Lady , The Lady's Dressing Room , The Logicians Refuted , The Parson's Case , The Pheasant and the Lark , The Place of the Damned , The Power of Time , The Puppet Show , The Storm , To a Lady , To Dr. Delany on the Libels , To Janus, on New Year's Day , Verses for Fruit Women , Verses sent to the Dean on his Birthday