Acrostic Quotes
Fox-Trot-9

21. Alexander Pope

The crimes committed with this pen
Over the heads of blameless men

Entangled me in bastard shame;
Regretting how I tore apart
Respected poeple with my art,

I bear the heavy weight of blame,
Sharing with none the fellowship

Handed to better peers in friendship
Under the promise of fair game.
My pride, the curse that has me chained,
Abused the trust that I had gained,
Never to be rekindled. Fame

Tempted my pride to snobbery
Over my peers that disagree,

Forming opinions with the aim
Of showing off my matchless verse,
Reducing theirs to something worse,
Giving them grounds to do the same.
In infamy, I live alone,
Villain to everyone I've known,
Entombed in hatred when my name

Dances upon the moving tongue.
Indeed, to all except the young,
Villain shall be my only claim;
I'm then surprised when you approach
Not just to give me more reproach:
Exonerating, you proclaim:

"To err is human, to forgive divine."
—Alexander Pope

(To be continued...)

A/N: Alexander Pope was a famous of the 18th century, perhaps the greatest poet to ever use the couplet as his main vehicle of self-expression and commentary, but he's definitely not without his faults. Through his exquisitely-written verses, he has launched personal attacks at his contemporaries, which left him almost friendless near his death. His works include, Essay on Criticism, The Rape of the Lock and The Dunciad.

Meter: Iambic pentameter
Rhyme Scheme: Nove otto