Et Arceo Poem by Jonathan ROBIN

ET ARCEO



When common herd pronounces poet sound
polysyllabic words seem seldom seen,
bland brands' bandwagon fanfare, asses crowned,
as genius starves, neglected quits stage scene.

Works wise despise perks, narrow critic's eyes,
jerks brash cash in on fan mail underwritten
by Sony, Fox, Time Warner PR guys
imitating teenage heart-throb smitten.

How many colours woven in pride's coat
needs needy scribe who weeds out base intents,
keeps creed from crowd’s pernicious floating vote,
finds wings, still laughing at his own expense?

What's writ, unshared, falls fallow, horn unheeded,
wit's titbit skits un-aired, seed corn unneeded.

8 September 2009 robi3_1913_robi3_0000 SXX_IJX

Et Arceo_20090709_When common herd pronounces poet sound robi03_1913_robi03_0000 SXX_IJX

For previous version AND NOTES see below

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ET ARCEO
When common herd pronounces poet sound
polysyllabic words seem seldom seen,
brash fanfare cashes in on asses crowned,
while genius starves, neglected quits stage scene.
What wise proved, what was rash, needs hindsight's eye,
or else none held the fort at Marathon,
nor fought against great odds Thermopylae,
vain Agincourt’s plain, Tudor slain undone.
How many colours woven in pride's coat
needs needy scribe who weeds out base intents,
keeps creed from crowd’s pernicious floating vote,
finds wings, still laughing at his own expense?
What's writ, unshared, falls fallow, horn unheeded,
wit's titbit skits un-aired, seed corn unneeded. 7 September 2009

Odi profanum vulgus et arceo …
I detest the common herd, and ward them off Horace, liv. III, ode i, verse 1

Que j'ai toujours haï les pensers du vulgaire!
Qu'il me semble profane, injuste, téméraire! Jean de la Fontaine

Loin d'ici, profane vulgaire,
Apollon m'inspire et m'éclaire;
C'est lui, je le vois, je le sens,
Mon cœur cède à sa violence;
Mortels, respectez sa présence,
Prêtez l'oreille à mes accents! J.-B. Rousseau