Green’s Dictionary of Slang

nonsense, rubbish.

1869		J.M. Hoppin Office and Work of the Christian Ministry II ii 315: Better have the simplest and most common thoughts, clearly expressed, than what Carlyle calls ‘phosphorescent punk and nothingness’ .
1900		Ade More Fables in Sl. (1960) 187: Well, if they are Right, then I must be Wrong, but to me it is Punk.
1921		D.L. Sayers Unpleasantness at the Bellona Club (1977) 141: ‘Oh, punk!’ interrupted Robert rudely.
1927		(con. 1900s) S. Lewis Elmer Gantry 12: Punk, thats what it was. Better to be out in business.
1939		P. Cheyney Don’t Get Me Wrong (1956) 7: I proceed to tell him how my father was a Mexican on his mother’s side of the family an’ a lotta other punk on the same line.
1989		H. Rawson Dict. of Invective (1991) 314: Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881), who characterized nonsensical or foolish writing as ‘phosphorescent punk and nothingness’.