COME, HONEST BOYS by WILLIAM HENRY DAVIES

Ye who have nothing to conceal,
Come, honest boys, and drink with me;
Come, drink with me the sparkling ale,
And we'll not whisper calumny,
But laugh with all the power we can;
But all pale schemers who incline
To rise above your fellow man,
Touch not the sparkling ale or wine.

Give me strong ale to fire my blood,
Content me with a lot that's bad;
That is to me both drink and food,
And warms me though I am ill-clad;
A pot of ale, man owns the world:
The poet hears his songs all sung,
Inventor sees his patents sold,
The painter sees his pictures hung.

The creeds remind us oft of Death;
But man's best creed is to forget
Death all the hours that he takes breath,
And quaff the sparkling ale, and let
Creeds shout until they burst their lungs;
For what is better than to be
A-drinking ale and singing songs,
In summer, under some green tree?

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!

Other Poems of Interest...