The Poetical Works of John Skelton, Volume 2 (of 2)

This volume gathers the later poems of one of Tudor England’s most flamboyant wordsmiths, a poet‑laureate who loved to spin rapid, rhymed couplets while skewer­ing courtly affectation, religious hypocrisy and human vanity. His verses leap from plain English into Latin, Greek and a host of vernacular tongues, creating a lively mosaic that captures the restless energy of the early sixteenth‑century stage. The collection continues the momentum of its predecessor, offering fresh satirical scenes and inventive allegories that still feel immediate and mischievous.

A familiar, loquacious parrot serves as the narrator‑guide, boasting fluency in dozens of languages and delivering witty asides that both entertain and illuminate the poems’ deeper points. Through the bird’s chatter, listeners encounter playful examinations of learning, identity and power, all wrapped in Skelton’s signature brisk rhythm. The result is an engaging auditory journey into a world where language itself becomes a merry instrument of critique and delight.