de minimis

The burden of truth bends
The punished mind until
Atonement no longer provides
A counterweight to the dative
A mantissa to the accusative
Henceforth the admonition
Becomes an ineffable prolegomenon
In the court of oyer and plaidoyer
We plead autrefois acquit
We shoulder our fardel
Witch art in haven
Shandy shandy shandy

*there follow replies to a fan*



Thy words have savour and
Engender much easefulness
Even as doth the water-brook
Succour the panting hart or
The kindly lanthorn's glimmer
Guide the faltering step across
The perilous darkling plain
Fair lady of the coign creative
Prithee accept my dedication
Of these unworthy lines

Such sweet benison to find my
Poor words admir'd ~ yet the
Puzzlement which freaks thy brow
Doth cause me foul distemper
Knowing that my popinjay tricks
Have clouded thy fair countenance
And set thee questing in some webbed
Site to unravel my lexical phantasie
Rather let the tender harmonies of
My verses enchant thee as the song
Of lark or merle delights with liquid
Syllables of obscure meaning


Sweet bird of youth
Whose merry stanzas cheer Aurora's gloom
If thou seek'st for curious and orotund expressions
To decorate thy bardic charivari
Then I have plenty for thy pleasure ~
Gaudy bows, curlicues and fancies
Furbelows, trinkets, nosegays and flounces
Such pleasant swags and swatches for to drape
And wrap thy well-formed verses
Sing bright sing long my pretty
For our lonely art is antidote
To a myriad of woes
& a puissant specific
Contra melancholy