Epigram, engraved on the Collar of a Dog

Alexander Pope, the eighteenth century's master of wit, distilled his legendary sharpness into this tiny gem. An epigram carved into a dog's collar might seem like a trifle, but Pope never trifled with words. The form demands everything be said in the smallest space possible: every syllable must wound or sparkle. Here, Pope channels the ancient Roman tradition of the epigram into something domestic and unexpected, proving that even a dog's collar can become a vehicle for wit. The poem likely plays with themes of loyalty, service, or the relationship between master and animal, all wrapped in Pope's signature precision. It endures because it shows that greatness need not be lengthy: a few well-chosen words can contain multitudes.