The speaker starts a poem composed solely of one-syllable lines, acknowledging the challenge this presents. They contend that the true value of anything often lies in its difficulty, emphasizing the noble nature of the subject they chose. This highlights the speaker's enthusiasm for the complexity and ambition behind their poetic endeavor.

The speaker invites the audience to hear the first canto of the poem, which intriguingly consists of four hundred verses yet can be recited in just one minute. This juxtaposition of quantity and brevity draws attention to the poem's structure, showcasing the tension between the expansive nature of poetry and the concise expression of one-syllable lines.