Nuts and Bolts: palinode.

A palinode is a poem in which the poet says, basically, you know what I said in that other poem I wrote? Well, it was rubbish.

The first person who definitely wrote a palinode was Stesichorus, who, in the 7th century BC, changed his mind about the Trojan War being all the fault of that silly Helen woman.

Geoffrey Chaucer did the same sort of thing at the end of The Canterbury Tales, apologising for the fact that his work was a bit, well, worldly and full of "vanitees".

Wherfore I biseke yow mekely, for the mercy

Of God, that ye preye for me that crist have

Mercy on me and foryeve me my giltes; and

Namely of my translacions and enditynges of

Worldly vanitees, the whiche I revoke in

My retracciouns:/ as is the book of Troilus

the book also of Fame; the book of

The xxv Ladies; the book of the duchess;

The book of seint valentynes day of the parlement of brides;

the tales of counterbury,

Thilke that sownen into synne;

the book of the Leoun; 

and many another book.

Though whether this genuinely a palinode or really an advertisement I wouldn't like to say.

Thing To Consider Today: palinode. This word comes from the two Greek words palin, meaning back or again, and oide, which means song. The palin bit is the same as is found in the word palindrome, though not in Sarah.