See this bowl of purple wine, Life-blood of the lusty vine! All the warmth of summer suns In the vintage liquid runs, All the glow of winter nights Plays about its jewel lights, Thoughts of time when love was young Lurk its ruby drops among, And its deepest depths are dyed With delight of friendship tried. Worthy offering, I ween, For a god or for a queen, Is the draught I pour to thee, -- Comfort of all misery, Single friend of the forlorn, Haven of all beings born, Hope when trouble wakes at night, And when naught delights, delight. Holy Death, I drink to thee; Do not part my friends and me. Take this gift, which for a night Puts dull leaden care to flight, Thou who takest grief away For a night and for a day. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...THE NIGHT MOTHS by EDWIN MARKHAM SONG OF THE BROAD-AXE by WALT WHITMAN I HAVE LOVED by JOHANNA AMBROSIUS BIARTEY'S SPINNING SONG, FR. THE RIDING TO LITHEND by GORDON BOTTOMLEY IRIS by KATHERINE HARRIS BRADLEY A LETTER TO A LADY; HER DESIRING AUTHOR TO POLISH POEMS OF BISHOP KEN by JOHN BYROM |