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Poem
May 5, 1804
Jenks' Portland Gazette
Portland, Cumberland County, Maine
What is this article about?
Satirical parody of 'The House That Jack Built' allegorizing the US Constitution as the house built by the people, with elements like public revenue (malt), rat, cat, dog, bull, maid, hunter, parson, invisible power, and lark representing political corruption and retribution.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
From the Connecticut Courant.
The Constitution of the United States,
This was the House that the people built.
The money arising from the public Revenue.
This was the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built
This was the Rat.
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built,
This was the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Dog,
That bark'd at the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up a dust,
To help the Dog,
That bark'd at the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the people built,
This was the Maid that was all forlorn
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt.
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Hunter who blew the horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up a dust,
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Parson all shaven and shorn,
Who publish'd his memoirs all tatter'd and torn,
And quit the Altar all covered with scorn,
And mutter'd his prayers both evening and morn,
In aid of the Hunter who sounded his horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the people built.
That invisible power thro' ages unborn.
Will still hold its office and whet up a thorn,
Which will pierce with a pang too sharp to be borne,
Thro' the heart of the Parson all shaven and shorn,
Who publish'd his memoirs all tatter'd and torn.
And quitted the altar all cover'd with scorn,
And mutter'd his prayers both evening and morn,
In aid of the Hunter who sounded his horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Who kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the people built.
This was the Lark that sung loud in the morn,
And mounted in triumph on pinions untorn,
And call'd to avenge her on Traitors forsworn,
That invisible power which thro' ages unborn,
will still hold its office and whet up a thorn,
Which will pierce with a pang too sharp to be borne.
Thro' the heart of the Parson all shaven and shorn
Who publish'd his memoirs all tatter'd and torn,
And quitted the altar all covered with scorn,
And mutter'd his prayers both evening and morn
In aid of the Hunter who sounded his horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
Who fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Who kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the People built.
The Constitution of the United States,
This was the House that the people built.
The money arising from the public Revenue.
This was the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built
This was the Rat.
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built,
This was the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Dog,
That bark'd at the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up a dust,
To help the Dog,
That bark'd at the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt,
That lay in the House that the people built,
This was the Maid that was all forlorn
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat,
That eat the Malt.
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Hunter who blew the horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up a dust,
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat,
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the People built.
This was the Parson all shaven and shorn,
Who publish'd his memoirs all tatter'd and torn,
And quit the Altar all covered with scorn,
And mutter'd his prayers both evening and morn,
In aid of the Hunter who sounded his horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Which kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the people built.
That invisible power thro' ages unborn.
Will still hold its office and whet up a thorn,
Which will pierce with a pang too sharp to be borne,
Thro' the heart of the Parson all shaven and shorn,
Who publish'd his memoirs all tatter'd and torn.
And quitted the altar all cover'd with scorn,
And mutter'd his prayers both evening and morn,
In aid of the Hunter who sounded his horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
That fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Who kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the people built.
This was the Lark that sung loud in the morn,
And mounted in triumph on pinions untorn,
And call'd to avenge her on Traitors forsworn,
That invisible power which thro' ages unborn,
will still hold its office and whet up a thorn,
Which will pierce with a pang too sharp to be borne.
Thro' the heart of the Parson all shaven and shorn
Who publish'd his memoirs all tatter'd and torn,
And quitted the altar all covered with scorn,
And mutter'd his prayers both evening and morn
In aid of the Hunter who sounded his horn,
To cheer up the Maid who was all forlorn,
Who fed the Bull with a crumpled horn,
Who kick'd up the dust
To help the Dog
That bark'd at the Cat
That kill'd the Rat
That eat the Malt
That lay in the House that the People built.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
Ballad
What themes does it cover?
Political
Satire Society
What keywords are associated?
Constitution
Public Revenue
Political Satire
Parson
Hunter
Invisible Power
Lark
Traitors
What entities or persons were involved?
From The Connecticut Courant
Poem Details
Author
From The Connecticut Courant
Subject
Satire On The Constitution And Political Figures
Form / Style
Cumulative Parody Of 'The House That Jack Built'
Key Lines
The Constitution Of The United States,
This Was The House That The People Built.
This Was The Parson All Shaven And Shorn,
Who Publish'd His Memoirs All Tatter'd And Torn,
This Was The Lark That Sung Loud In The Morn,
And Mounted In Triumph On Pinions Untorn,
And Call'd To Avenge Her On Traitors Forsworn,