Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ANACREONTIC, by CHARLES COTTON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ANACREONTIC, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Fill a bowl of lusty wine
Last Line: Down to sleep than down to die.
Subject(s): Drinks & Drinking; Wine


FILL a bowl of lusty wine,
Briskest Daughter of the vine;
Fill 't until it sea-like flow,
That my cheek may once more glow.
I am fifty winters old,
Blood then stagnates and grows cold,
And when youthful heat decays,
We must help it by these ways.
Wine breeds mirth, and mirth imparts
Heat and courage to our hearts,
Which in old men else are lead,
And not warm'd would soon be dead.

Now I'm sprightly, fill agen,
Stop not though they mount to ten;
Though I stagger do not spare,
'Tis to rock and still my ear;
Though I stammer 'tis no matter,
I should do the same with water;
When I belch, I am but trying
How much better 'tis than sighing;
If a tear spring in mine eye,
'Tis for joy not grief I cry:
This is living without thinking,
These are the effects of drinking.

Fill a main, (Boy) fill a main,
Whilst I drink I feel no pain;
Gout or palsy I have none,
Hang the colic and the stone;
I methinks grow young again,
New blood springs in ev'ry vein,
And supply it (Sirrah) still,
Whilst I drink you sure may fill:
If I nod, Boy, rouse me up
With a bigger fuller cup;
But when that, Boy, will not do,
Faith e'en let me then go to,
For 'tis better far to lie
Down to sleep than down to die.





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