Classic and Contemporary Poetry
THE LEATHER BOTTEL, by ANONYMOUS First Line: When I survey the world around Last Line: So I wish Subject(s): Bottles;drinks & Drinking | ||||||||
WHEN I survey the world around, The heavens, the earth, and all therein, The ships that on the sea do swim, To guard from foes that none come in; And let them all do what they can, 'Twas for one end the good of man, So I wish in heaven his soul may dwell, That first found out the leather bottèl. Now, what do you say to these cans of wood? O no, in faith, they cannot be good; For if the bearer fall by the way, Why, on the ground your liquor doth lay: But had it been in a leather bottèl, Although he had fallen, all had been well. So I wish in heaven ... Then what do you say to these black pots three? If a man and his wife should not agree, Why they'll tug and pull till their liquor doth spill: In a leather bottèl they may tug their fill, And pull away till their hearts do ake, And yet their liquor no harm can take. So I wish ... Then what do you say to these flagons fine? O they shall have no praise of mine, For when a Lord is about to dine, And sends them to be filled with wine, The man with the flagon doth run away, Because it is silver most gallant and gay. So I wish ... A leather bottèl we know is good, Far better than glasses or cans of wood, For when a man's at work in the field, Your glasses and pots no comfort will yield But a good leather bottle standing by, Will raise his spirits, whenever he's dry. So I wish ... Then what do you say to these glasses fine? O they shall have no praise of mine, For if you chance to touch the brim, Down falls the liquor and all therein; But had it been in a leather bottèl, And the stopple in, all had been well. So I wish ... At noon, the haymakers sit them down, To drink from their bottles of ale nut-brown; In summer too, when the weather is warm, A good bottle full will do them no harm. Then the lads and the lasses begin to tattle, But what would they do without this bottle? So I wish ... There's never a Lord, an Earl, or Knight, But in this bottle doth take delight; For when's he's hunting of the deer, He oft doth wish for a bottle of beer. Likewise the man that works in the wood, A bottle of beer will oft do him good. So I wish ... And when the bottle at last grows old, And will good liquor no longer hold, Out of the side you may make a clout, To mend your shoes when they're worn out; Or take and hang it up on a pin, 'Twill serve to put hinges and odd things in. So I wish ... | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...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 JOEY AWAKE NOW by GLYN MAXWELL RAISING A HUMID FLAG by THYLIAS MOSS TIS A LITTLE JOURNEY by ANONYMOUS |
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