Backward ran sentences

[meliss]

It's a famous Wolcott Gibbs's quotation

"Backward ran sentences until reeled the mind"

What is the grammar structure of this sentence? I know it is inverted, but is "ran" a verb here? If so, who "ran sentences"? Thank you for helping.

[MikeNewYork]

It's a famous Wolcott Gibbs's quotation

"Backward ran sentences until reeled the mind"

What is the grammar structure of this sentence? I know it is inverted, but is "ran" a verb here? If so, who "ran sentences"? Thank you for helping.

He seems to be parodying a writing style. The sentence should probably be:

Sentences ran backward until the mind reeled.

S-V-Adv-Conj-S-V