Classic and Contemporary Poetry
MITHRIDATES, by RALPH WALDO EMERSON Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: I cannot spare water or wine Last Line: But sun me in the capitol. Subject(s): Mithridates Vi Eupator (d. 63 B.c.); Mithrodates The Great | ||||||||
I cannot spare water or wine, Tobacco-leaf, or poppy, or rose; From the earth-poles to the line, All between that works or grows, Every thing is kin of mine. Give me agates for my meat; Give me cantharids to eat; From air and ocean bring me foods, From all zones and altitudes; -- From all natures, sharp and slimy, Salt and basalt, wild and tame: Tree and lichen, ape, sea-lion, Bird, and reptile, be my game. Ivy for my fillet band; Blinding dog-wood in my hand; Hemlock for my sherbet cull me, And the prussic juice to lull me; Swing me in the upas boughs, Vampyre-fanned, when I carouse. Too long shut in strait and few, Thinly dieted on dew, I will use the world, and sift it, To a thousand humors shift it, As you spin a cherry. O doleful ghosts, and goblins merry! O all you virtues, methods, mights, Means, appliances, delights, Reputed wrongs and braggart rights, Smug routine, and things allowed, Minorities, things under cloud! Hither! take me, use me, fill me, Vein and artery, though ye kill me! God! I will not be an owl, But sun me in the Capitol. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...MITHRIDATES AT CHIOS by JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER BACCHUS by RALPH WALDO EMERSON BOSTON HYMN; READ IN MUSIC HALL, JANUARY 1, 1863 by RALPH WALDO EMERSON CONCORD HYMN; SUNG AT COMPLETION OF CONCORD MONUMENT, 1836 by RALPH WALDO EMERSON DIRGE (1) by RALPH WALDO EMERSON EACH AND [OR, IN] ALL by RALPH WALDO EMERSON |
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