Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, VERSES AT THE DEVIL TAVERN, by BEN JONSON


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

VERSES AT THE DEVIL TAVERN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Welcome all that lead or follow
Last Line: To the oracle of apollo.
Variant Title(s): Inscription Over The Door At The Entrance Into The Apollo;over The Door At The Entrance Into The Apollo
Subject(s): London


Welcome all that lead or follow,
To the oracle of Apollo --
Here he speaks out of his pottle,
Or the tripos, his tower bottle:
All his answers are divine,
Truth itself doth flow in wine.
Hang up all the poor hop-drinkers,
Cries old Sym, the king of skinkers;
He the half of life abuses,
That sits watering with the muses.
Those dull girls no good can mean us,
Wine, it is the milk of Venus,
And the poet's horse accounted:
Ply it, and you all are mounted.
'Tis the true Phoebian liquor,
Cheers the brains, makes wit the quicker,
Pays all debts, cures all diseases,
And at once three senses pleases.
Welcome, all that lead or follow,
To the oracle of Apollo.





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