Write On, Write On. A Ballad

By Thomas Moore

    Air.--"Sleep on, sleep on, my Kathleen dear.                         salvete, fratres Asini. ST. FRANCIS.     Write on, write on, ye Barons dear,         Ye Dukes, write hard and fast;     The good we've sought for many a year         Your quills will bring at last.     One letter more, Newcastle, pen,         To match Lord Kenyon's two,     And more than Ireland's host of men,         One brace of Peers will do.                         Write on, write on, etc.     Sure never since the precious use         Of pen and ink began,     Did letters writ by fools produce         Such signal good to man.     While intellect, 'mong high and low,         Is marching on, they say,     Give me the Dukes and Lords who go     Like crabs, the other way.                         Write on, write on, etc.     Even now I feel the coming light--         Even now, could Folly lure     My Lord Mountcashel too to write,         Emancipation's sure.     By geese (we read in history),         Old Rome was saved from ill;     And now to quills of geese we see         Old Rome indebted still.                         Write on, write on, etc.     Write, write, ye Peers, nor stoop to style,         Nor beat for sense about--     Things little worth a Noble's while         You're better far without.     Oh ne'er, since asses spoke of yore,         Such miracles were done;     For, write but four such letters more,         And Freedom's cause is won!

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Poem Details

Language: English
Keywords: Public Domain
Source: Public Domain Collection
Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Analysis & Notes:
This poem offers a satirical commentary on the socio-political dynamics of its time, calling out the aristocracy's apparent ignorance and incompetence. The repeated refrain "Write on, write on" serves as a mocking directive to the "Barons" and "Dukes," suggesting that their writings, despite their lack of intellectual depth, are paradoxically contributing to the progress of society. This irony is a key element in the poem's tone and meaning.

The poem employs the metaphor of the crab to describe the backward movement of the aristocracy, contrasting this image with the forward march of intellect among the common people. This clever use of imagery amplifies the poem's critique of the social order. The invocation of historical events such as the salvation of Rome by geese further underscores the poem's sarcastic tone and its assertion that foolishness can inadvertently lead to significant societal change. Moreover, the poem's structure — regular stanza lengths and a repeating refrain — lends a rhythmic quality that emphasizes its satirical message. The final stanza concludes with a powerful punchline that encapsulates the poem's theme: the aristocracy's ignorance is ironically aiding the cause of freedom.