The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay With Illustrations by John Gilbert |
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| XII. |
THE WINES. |
 | The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay |  |
236
THE WINES.
I
Whence comest thou,O lady rare,
With soft blue eyes
And flaxen hair,
And showers of ringlets
Clustering fair?
And what hast thou got
In that bowl of thine?—
“I come,” quoth she,
“From the beautiful Rhine,
“And in my bowl
“Is the amber wine.
“Pure as gold
“Without alloy,
“Mild as moonlight,
“Strong as joy;
“Taste, and treasure it—
“Drink, but measure it—
“Thirsty boy!”
II
And who art thou,So ruddy and bright,
With round full eyes
Of passionate light,
And clustering tresses
Dark as night?
And what hast thou drawn
From the teeming tun?—
237
“From the blue Garonne,
“Where the vines are kiss'd
“By the bountiful sun,
“And the regal Claret,
“Kind, though coy,
“Flushes the hills
“With purple joy.
“Taste, and treasure it—
“Drink, but measure it—
“Thirsty boy!”
III
And whence art thou,With bounding tread,
With cheeks like morning,
Rosy red,
And eyes like meteors
In thy head?
And what dost thou pour
Like jewell'd rain?—
“I come,” quoth she,
“From the sunny plain,
“And bear a flagon
“Of bright Champagne,—
“Age's cordial,
“Beauty's toy,—
“Dancing, glancing,
“Wine of Joy.
“Taste, and treasure it—
“Drink, but measure it—
“Thirsty boy!”
| The Collected Songs of Charles Mackay | |