Lines on the Antiquity of Microbes
Encyclopedia
Lines on the Antiquity of Microbes, also known simply as Fleas, is a couplet
commonly cited as the shortest poem ever written. Variously attributed to Shel Silverstein
, Ogden Nash
, or simply an unknown or anonymous
author, it was most likely written by American poet Strickland Gillilan
in the early 20th century.
Adam
Had 'em.
Couplet
A couplet is a pair of lines of meter in poetry. It usually consists of two lines that rhyme and have the same meter.While traditionally couplets rhyme, not all do. A poem may use white space to mark out couplets if they do not rhyme. Couplets with a meter of iambic pentameter are called heroic...
commonly cited as the shortest poem ever written. Variously attributed to Shel Silverstein
Shel Silverstein
Sheldon Allan "Shel" Silverstein , was an American poet, singer-songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of children's books. He styled himself as Uncle Shelby in his children's books...
, Ogden Nash
Ogden Nash
Frederic Ogden Nash was an American poet well known for his light verse. At the time of his death in 1971, the New York Times said his "droll verse with its unconventional rhymes made him the country's best-known producer of humorous poetry".-Early life:Nash was born in Rye, New York...
, or simply an unknown or anonymous
Anonymity
Anonymity is derived from the Greek word ἀνωνυμία, anonymia, meaning "without a name" or "namelessness". In colloquial use, anonymity typically refers to the state of an individual's personal identity, or personally identifiable information, being publicly unknown.There are many reasons why a...
author, it was most likely written by American poet Strickland Gillilan
Strickland Gillilan
Strickland Gillilan was an American poet and humorist. He is most famous for the poem The Reading Mother which remains a common sentiment on Mother's Day. He is also recognized as the author of Lines on the Antiquity of Microbes, said to be the shortest poem ever written...
in the early 20th century.
The poem
Lines on the Antiquity of Microbes
Adam
Had 'em.