Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

TO BEN JONSON by ROBERT HERRICK

Poet Analysis

First Line: AH BEN! / SAY HOW, OR WHEN
Last Line: OF SUCH A WIT, THE WORLD SHOULD HAVE NO MORE.
Subject(s): JONSON, BEN (1572-1637); POETRY & POETS;
AH Ben!
Say how or when
Shall we, thy guests,
Meet at those lyric feasts,
Made at the Sun,
The Dog, the Triple Tun;
Where we such clusters had
As made us nobly wild, not mad;
And yet each verse of thine
Outdid the meat, outdid the frolic wine.

My Ben!
Or come again,
Or send to us
Thy wit's great overplus;
But teach us yet
Wisely to husband it,
Lest we that talent spend:
And having once brought to an end
That precious stock, the store
Of such a wit, the world should have no more.


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