The God of Beginnings and Endings

A poem by Jonathan Swift that uses Janus as a literary device. It's technically not particularly flattering to Janus, but I didn't notice. I think it's charming.

To Janus, On New Year's Day, 1726

Two-faced Janus, god of time

Be my Phoebus, while I rhyme.

To oblige your crony Swift,

Bring our dame a new-year's gift;

She has got but half a face;

Janus, since thou hast a brace,

To my lady once be kind;

Give her half thy face behind.

God of time, if you be wise,

Look not with your future eyes;

What imports thy future sight?

Well, if you could lose it quite.

Can you take delight in viewing

This poor Isle's approaching ruin,

When thy retrospection vast

Sees the glorious ages past.

Happy nation, were we blind,

Or had eyes only behind!

Drown your morals, madam cries,

I'll have none but forward eyes;

Prudes decayed about may tack,

Strain their necks with looking back.

Give me time when coming on;

Who regards him when he's gone?

By the Dean though gravely told,

New-years help to make me old;

Yet I find a new-year's lace

Burnishes an old-year's face.

Give me velvet and quadrille,

I'll have my youth and beauty still.

Notes:                        

1. "Brace" means a pair.

2. "Isle" refers to Ireland, not to Britain.

3. "Dean" is the speaker of the poem, or Swift himself. Swift was dean of St. Patrick's cathedral in Dublin from 1713 to 1745. This poem was written in 1729.

4. "Quadrille" is a dance(?)