The Old Gentry
Matthew Prior 1664 – 1721
That all from Adam first began,
None but ungodly Whiston doubts,
And that his son and his son's son
Were all but ploughmen, clowns, and louts.
Each when his rustic pains began
To merit pleaded equal right;
'Twas only who left off at noon,
Or who went on to work till night.
But coronets we owe to crowns,
And favour to a court's affection;
By nature we are Adam's sons,
And sons of Anstis by election.
Kingsale! eight hundred years have roll'd
Since thy forefathers had the plough;
When this in story shall be told,
Add, that my kindred do so now.
The man who by his labour gets
His bread in independent state,
Who never begs, and seldom eats,
Himself can fix or change his fate.
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Submitted on May 13, 2011
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 39 sec read
- 95 Views
Quick analysis:
Scheme | ABCB ADXD XCXC EFEF XGXG |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic tetrameter |
Characters | 668 |
Words | 129 |
Stanzas | 5 |
Stanza Lengths | 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
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"The Old Gentry" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 2 May 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/27448/the-old-gentry>.
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