In April 1798 Coleridge published an ode of 105 lines about the French Revolutionin the Morning Post. That fact alone, which would have struckno one at the time as remarkable, reminds us again of the importance of poetrytwo centuries ago as a medium for discussing any topic under the sun. It was farfrom the first of Coleridge’s newspaper poems, and by 1798 he hadacquired a reputation as a liberal reformer, and a man of“Jacobin” or pro-French sympathies, in a climate overwhelminglyhostile to such opinions. This poem, however, publically confessed hisabandonment of the French Revolution and apologized for his earlier defense ofit. Though in later reprintings he titled it “France: An Ode,” inits first appearance he called it “The Recantation: An Ode.” Muchlater he titled it “France: A Palinode,” a word that evokes thefamous palinodia or “back-ode” of the ancientGreek poet Stesichorus in which he retracts his attack on Helen. It is a“recantation” in the original sense of that word, a“back-song” or song of retraction for songs sung earlier. From thebeginning, he writes, despite British opposition to it, “Unawed Isang” in favor of the Revolution (27), and even when Britain went to waragainst France “my voice, unaltered, sang defeat” to her enemies(36). But now he sings a new tune.