 | Poems by Two Brothers |  |
195
ANACREONTIC
“Insanire juvat.”
—
Horace.
Let others of wealth and emolument dream,
At profits exult, and at losses repine;
Far different my object, far different my theme—
Warm love and frank friendship, and roses and wine!
At profits exult, and at losses repine;
Far different my object, far different my theme—
Warm love and frank friendship, and roses and wine!
Let other dull clods, without fancy or fire,
Give my dear friend of Teos a mere poet's due;
Discarding his morals, his fancy admire,
I deem him a bard, and a moralist too.
Give my dear friend of Teos a mere poet's due;
Discarding his morals, his fancy admire,
I deem him a bard, and a moralist too.
Ye sober, ye specious, ye sage, ye discreet!
Your joys in perspective I never could brook;
With rapture I seize on whatever is sweet,
Real, positive, present—no further I look.
Your joys in perspective I never could brook;
With rapture I seize on whatever is sweet,
Real, positive, present—no further I look.
196
I will not be fetter'd by maxims or duties;
The cold charms of ethics I wholly despise:
My hours glide along amid bottles and beauties—
There's nothing to match with old crust and bright eyes!
The cold charms of ethics I wholly despise:
My hours glide along amid bottles and beauties—
There's nothing to match with old crust and bright eyes!
I vary my cups as his fashions the dandy,
And one day the creatures of gin haunt my brain;
And the next I depute the same office to brandy;
And so on, and so on, and the same round again!
And one day the creatures of gin haunt my brain;
And the next I depute the same office to brandy;
And so on, and so on, and the same round again!
I'm a flighty young spark—but I deem myself blest,
And as happy a soul as my clerical brother;
Tho' the wish of a moment's first half's dispossest
Of its sway o'er my mind, by the wish of the other.
And as happy a soul as my clerical brother;
Tho' the wish of a moment's first half's dispossest
Of its sway o'er my mind, by the wish of the other.
And thou who this wild mode of living despisest,
Sententious and grave, of thy apophthegms boast,
Cry shame of my nostrums: but I know who's wisest,
Makes the best use of life, and enjoys it the most.
Sententious and grave, of thy apophthegms boast,
Cry shame of my nostrums: but I know who's wisest,
Makes the best use of life, and enjoys it the most.
C. T.
| Poems by Two Brothers | |