Hail! mistress of the merry tongue, Of lively wit and laughing mood; Gay queen of banter, ever young; Withal full of solicitude To ease life's worst vicissitude By some sage jest or subtle ruse Of rhyme to teach us not to brood When we may court thee, Comic Muse! Since ancient Horace gibed and flung His verses at Rome's feet the crude Conceits of time, quaint bards have sung To make dismay a platitude And give a wider latitude To joyousness; for who would choose The worries of life's endless feud When we may court the comic muse? No, let us rather lounge among Byways obscure, and thus elude The striving hordes whose gains are wrung; From tortured lives and servitude. If fate is harsh and times are rude, To best resist have naught to lose; And why should fortune needs be wooed When we may court the comic muse? ENVOY. Muse, lest ambition should delude, Be gracious, nor our suit refuse; For mirth shall every ill exclude When we may court thee, Comic Muse! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...CHAMBER MUSIC: 11 by JAMES JOYCE ON A TUFT OF GRASS by EMMA LAZARUS IN GRANTCHESTER MEADOWS; ON HEARING A SKYLARK SING by GEORGE SANTAYANA |