vers de société

vers de société

(French; “society verse”)

Witty, typically ironic, light verse, written with polish and ease of expression to amuse a sophisticated audience. It has flourished in cultured societies, particularly in court circles and literary salons, from the time of Anacreon (6th century BC). Trivial subjects are treated in an intimate, witty manner, and even when social issues form the theme, the light mood prevails. The poetry of Ogden Nash, with its theme of self-ironic adult helplessness, is a 20th-century example.