Death, thou’rt a cordial old and rare:
Look how compounded, with what care!
Time got his wrinkles reaping thee
Sweet herbs from all antiquity.
David to thy distillage went,
Keats, and Gotama excellent,
Omar Khayyam, and Chaucer bright,
And Shakespeare for a king-delight.
Then, Time, let not a drop be spilt:
Hand me the cup whene’er thou wilt;
‘Tis thy rich stirrup-cup to me;
I’ll drink it down right smilingly.
(Sidney Lanier)
More Poetry from Sidney Lanier:
Sidney Lanier Poems based on Topics: Time, Death & Dying- A Sunrise Song. (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- Laughter In The Senate (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- Resurrection (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- The Mocking-Bird (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- Acknowledgment. (Sidney Lanier Poems)
- Laus Mariae (Sidney Lanier Poems)
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Based on Topics: Time Poems, Death & Dying PoemsBased on Keywords: wrinkles, cordial, chaucer, keats, antiquity, omar, smilingly, compounded, stirrup-cup, khayyam