The Diverting History of John Gilpin

by William Cowper

"The Diverting History of John Gilpin" by William Cowper is a comic ballad written in 1782. Based on a story Cowper heard from Lady Austen, the poem follows John Gilpin, a wealthy London draper, and his family on a disastrous journey to Edmonton. When Gilpin loses control of his horse, he's carried helplessly on a wild ride far beyond his destination, becoming separated from his wife and children in this humorous tale of mishap and misadventure.