Ode to Dante.

Ode to Dante Hail to thee, fervent guardian! Ichthyoid thou never were. Thine scales rivaled the finest cardigan, And your life was clean and pure. You could never hop on the furniture. Although you were a Betta, Thou wert the Alpha in my heart. You waged a constant vendetta Against the other fish from PetsMart. Discretion was not your art. In the placid tap water, Of your cramped fishbowl, Over the fake plastic potter, Didst thou swim and loll. You and your lonely swimming hole. Stronger than all musicianship, Of the parakeet's sound, Stronger than all companionship, Of the faithful hound, It was your silence which made thee renowned. So teach me thy endurance, And teach me reverie. What could lend you that assurance Of escaping the algae? Why weren't you in misery? This poem is based off of "To a Skylark" by Percy Bysshe Shelley. In "To a Skylark," the author desires the freedom of the bird he describes. Shelley often takes a subject in his poetry and tries to find its underlying quality or essence. This poem is reflective of Romantic Poetry because it analyzes a facet of life in great detail and amazement. It also includes certain middle English words.