Classic and Contemporary Poetry
BALLADE TO A DEPARTING GOD, by RICHARD THOMAS LE GALLIENNE Poet's Biography First Line: God of the wine list, roseate lord Last Line: Tis not good-by -- but au revoir! Subject(s): Drinks & Drinking; Wine | ||||||||
GOD of the Wine List, roseate lord, And is it really then good-by? Of Prohibitionists abhorred, Must thou in sorry sooth then die, (O fatal morning of July!) Nor aught hold back the threatened hour That shrinks thy purple clusters dry? Say not good-by -- but au revoir! For the last time the wine is poured, For the last toast the glass raised high, And henceforth round the wintry board, As dumb as fish, we'll sit and sigh, And eat our Puritanic pie, And dream of suppers gone before, With flying wit and words that fly -- Say not good-by -- but au revoir! 'Twas on thy wings the poet soared, And Sorrow fled when thou wentst by, And, when we said "Here's looking toward" . . . It seemed a better world, say I, With greener grass and bluer sky . . . The writ is on the Tavern Door, And who would tipple on the sly? . . . 'Tis not good-by -- but au revoir! ENVOI Gay God of Bottles, I deny Those brave tempestuous times are o'er; Somehow I think, I scarce know why, 'Tis not good-by -- but au revoir! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A CUP OF TREMBLINGS by JOHN HOLLANDER VINTAGE ABSENCE by JOHN HOLLANDER SENT WITH A BOTTLE OF BURGUNDY FOR A BIRTHDAY by JOHN HOLLANDER TO A CIVIL SERVANT by EDMUND JOHN ARMSTRONG WINE by FRIEDRICH MARTIN VON BODENSTEDT THE GOOD FELLOW by ALEXANDER BROME WHEN A WOMAN LOVES A MAN by DAVID LEHMAN A BALLAD OF LONDON (TO H.W. MASSINGHAM) by RICHARD THOMAS LE GALLIENNE AFTER THE WAR by RICHARD THOMAS LE GALLIENNE WHAT OF THE DARKNESS?; TO THE HAPPY DEAD PEOPLE by RICHARD THOMAS LE GALLIENNE |
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