 | Collected poems of Herman Melville |  |
FALSTAFF'S LAMENT OVER PRINCE HAL BECOME HENRY V
One that I cherished,
Yea, loved as a son—
Up early, up late with,
My promising one:
No use in good nurture,
None, lads, none!
Yea, loved as a son—
Up early, up late with,
My promising one:
No use in good nurture,
None, lads, none!
Here on this settle
He wore the true crown,
King of good fellows,
And Fat Jack was one—
Now, Beadle of England
In formal array—
Best fellow alive
On a throne flung away!
Companions and cronies
Keep fast and lament;—
Come drawer, more sack here
To drown discontent;
He wore the true crown,
King of good fellows,
And Fat Jack was one—
Now, Beadle of England
In formal array—
Best fellow alive
On a throne flung away!
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Keep fast and lament;—
Come drawer, more sack here
To drown discontent;
For now intuitions
Shall wither to codes,
Pragmatical morals
Shall libel the gods.—
Shall wither to codes,
Pragmatical morals
Shall libel the gods.—
One I instructed,
Yea, talked to—alone:
Precept—example
Clean away thrown!
Yea, talked to—alone:
Precept—example
Clean away thrown!
(Sorrow makes thirsty:
Sack, drawer, more sack!—)
One that I prayed for,
I, Honest Jack!—
Sack, drawer, more sack!—)
One that I prayed for,
I, Honest Jack!—
To bring down these gray hairs—
To cut his old pal!
But, I'll be magnanimous—
Here's to thee, Hal!
To cut his old pal!
But, I'll be magnanimous—
Here's to thee, Hal!
| Collected poems of Herman Melville | |