Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE MALTWORM'S MADRIGAL, by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: I drink of the ale of southwark, I drink of the ale of chepe Last Line: For when my tongue is loosed most, then most I lose my speech. Alternate Author Name(s): Dobson, Austin Subject(s): Alcoholism & Alcoholics; Beer; Drinks & Drinking; Drunkards; Alcohol Abuse; Ale; Wine | ||||||||
I DRINK of the Ale of Southwark, I drink of the Ale of Chepe; At noon I dream on the settle; at night I cannot sleep; For my love, my love it groweth; I waste me all the day; And when I see sweet Alison, I know not what to say. The sparrow when he spieth his Dear upon the tree, He beateth-to his little wing; he chirketh lustily; But when I see sweet Alison, the words begin to fail; I wot that I shall die of Love -- an I die not of Ale. Her lips are like the muscadel; her brows are black as ink; Her eyes are bright as beryl stones that in the tankard wink; But when she sees me coming, she shrilleth out -- 'Te-Hee! Fye on thy ruddy nose, Cousin, what lackest thou of me?' 'Fye on thy ruddy nose, Cousin! Why be thine eyes so small? Why go thy legs tap-lappetty like men that fear to fall? Why is thy leathern doublet besmeared with stain and spot? Go to. Thou art no man (she saith) -- thou art a Pottle-pot!' 'No man,' i'faith. 'No man!' she saith. And 'Pottle-pot' thereto! 'Thou sleepest like our dog all day; thou drink'st as fishes do.' I would that I were Tibb the dog; he wags at her his tail; Or would that I were fish, in truth, and all the sea were Ale! So I drink of the Ale of Southwark, I drink of the Ale of Chepe; All day I dream in the sunlight; I dream and eke I weep, But little lore of loving can any flagon teach, For when my tongue is loosed most, then most I lose my speech. | 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 FANCY FROM FONTENELLE by HENRY AUSTIN DOBSON |
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