OH! I have loved thee fondly, ever Preferr'd thee to the choicest wine; From thee my lips they could not sever By saying thou contain'dst strychnine. Did I believe the slander? Never! I held thee still to be divine. For me thy color hath a charm, Although 'tis true they call thee Pale; And be thou cold when I am warm, As late I've been -- so high the scale Of FAHRENHEIT -- and febrile harm Allay, refrigerating Ale! How sweet thou art! -- yet bitter, too And sparkling, like satiric fun; But how much better thee to brew, Than a conundrum or a pun, It is, in every point of view, Must be allow'd by every one. Refresh my heart and cool my throat, Light, airy child of malt and hops! That dost not stuff, engross, and bloat The skin, the sides, the chin, the chops, And burst the buttons off the coat, Like stout and porter -- fattening slops! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI: 4. THE MOON'S ORCHESTRA by JOHN GOULD FLETCHER TO THE MEMORY OF THE BRAVE AMERICANS UNDER GENERAL GREENE by PHILIP FRENEAU THE PASSOVER IN THE HOLY FAMILY (FOR A DRAWING) by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI THE HOLLY TREE by ROBERT SOUTHEY TO DEATH OF HIS LADY by FRANCOIS VILLON OH, LOVE THOU TOO! by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS EN TOUR; A SONG SEQUENCE: 5. THE EXILE by ALBERTA BANCROFT |