Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, THE JOVIAL PRIEST'S CONFESSION; TRANSLATED FROM LATIN WALTER DE MAPES, by JAMES HENRY LEIGH HUNT


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE JOVIAL PRIEST'S CONFESSION; TRANSLATED FROM LATIN WALTER DE MAPES, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: I devise to end my days - in a tavern drinking
Last Line: And phoebus rushes into me, and beggareth all relation.
Alternate Author Name(s): Hunt, Leigh
Subject(s): Clergy; Confessions; Religion; Translating & Interpreting; Priests; Rabbis; Ministers; Bishops; Theology


I DEVISE to end my days -- in a tavern drinking,
May some Christian hold for me -- the glass when I am shrinking,
That the cherubim may cry -- when they see me sinking,
God be merciful to a soul -- of this gentleman's way of thinking.

A glass of wine amazingly -- enlighteneth one's internals;
'Tis wings bedewed with nectar -- that fly up to supernals;
Bottles cracked in taverns -- have much the sweeter kernels,
Than the sups allowed to us -- in the college journals.

Every one by nature hath -- a mold which he was cast in;
I happen to be one of those -- who never could write fasting;
By a single little boy -- I should be surpass'd in
Writing so: I'd just as lief -- be buried; tomb'd and grass'd in.

Every one by nature hath -- a gift too, a dotation:
I, when I make verses -- do get the inspiration
Of the very best of wine -- that comes into the nation:
It maketh sermons to astound -- for edification.

Just as liquor floweth good -- floweth forth my lay so;
But I must moreover eat -- or I could not say so;
Naught it availeth inwardly -- should I write all day so;
But with God's grace after meat -- I beat Ovidius Naso.

Neither is there given to me -- prophetic animation,
Unless when I have eat and drank -- yea, ev'n to saturation,
Then in my upper story -- hath Bacchus domination,
And Phoebus rushes into me, and beggareth all relation.





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