What could be dafter br Than John Skelton’s laughter? br What sound more tenderly br Than his pretty poetry? br So where to rank old Skelton? br He was no monstrous Milton, br Nor wrote no “Paradise Lost,” br So wondered at by most, br Phrased so disdainfully, br Composed so painfully. br He struck what Milton missed, br Milling an English grist br With homely turn and twist. br He was English through and through, br Not Greek, nor French, nor Jew, br Though well their tongues he knew, br The living and the dead: br Learned Erasmus said, br Hic ’unum Britannicarum br Lumen et decus literarum. br But oh, Colin Clout! br How his pen flies about, br Twiddling and turning, br Scorching and burning, br Thrusting and thrumming! br How it hurries with humming, br Leaping and running, br At the tipsy-topsy Tunning br Of Mistress Eleanor Rumming! br How for poor Philip Sparrow br Was murdered at Carow, br How our hearts he does harrow br Jest and grief mingle br In this jangle-jingle, br For he will not stop br To sweep nor mop, br To prune nor prop, br To cut each phrase up br Like beef when we sup, br Nor sip at each line br As at brandy-wine, br Or port when we dine. br But angrily, wittily, br Tenderly, prettily, br Laughingly, learnedly, br Sadly, madly, br Helter-skelter John br Rhymes serenely on, br As English poets should.