The Place of the Damned

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The Poems of Jonathan Swift, Volume One

by Jonathan SWIFT (1667 - 1745)

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

Listen next episodes of The Poems of Jonathan Swift, Volume One:
A Libel on Dr. Delany and Lord Carteret , A Love Song , 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 Invitation, by Dr. Delany , Dean Smedley's Petition to the Duke , Directions for a Birthday Song , Epigram by Mr. Bowyer , Epigrams on Busts in Richmond Hermitage , Epigrams on Windows , Judas , Miscellaneous , Ode on Science , On Paddy's Character , On Poetry, a Rhapsody , On Psyche , On Rover, a Lady's Spaniel , On the Death of Dr. Swift , Parody on a Character of Dean Smedley , Swift on his own Deafness , Swift's Birthday Presents , The Beasts' Confession , The Birth of Manly Virtue , The Day of Judgment , The Dean and Duke , The Dean's Manner of Living , The Hardship upon the Ladies , The Parson's Case , The Pheasant and the Lark , 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