Epitaph for Mr. Walter Riddell by Robert Burns
A mocking epitaph condemns Wat and imagines worms in his grave complaining that his flesh cannot feed them and his heart is poisonous.
By Robert Burns · Genre: Satirical Poetry, Epigram · 60 words
First lines
Sic a reptile was Wat, sic a miscreant slave, / That the worms ev'n damn'd him when laid in his grave; / "In his flesh there's a famine," a starved reptile cries, / "And his heart is rank poison! " another replies.
Genres
- Satirical Poetry — The rhyming epitaph attacks Wat through imagined complaints from the worms in his grave.
- Epigram — Four lines compress the insult into a closing exchange about flesh that starves worms and a poisonous heart.
Tags
epitaph · satirical verse · worms · grave · insults
What this Textopian page supports
Epitaph for Mr. Walter Riddell is listed on Textopian as a poem by Robert Burns, dated Date unknown.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Poem
- Author: Robert Burns
- Date: Date unknown
- Language: English
- Genres: Satirical Poetry, Epigram
- Length: 60 words
- Structure: 1 section, 1 paragraphs
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