Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE WASSAIL, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Give way, give way ye gates, and win
Last Line: T'ave lost the good ye might have had.
Subject(s): Carpe Diem


1. Give way, give way ye Gates, and win
An easie blessing to your Bin,
And Basket, by our entring in.

2. May both with manchet stand repleat;
Your Larders too so hung with meat,
That though a thousand, thousand eat;

3. Yet, ere twelve Moones shall whirl about
Their silv'rie Spheres, ther's none may doubt,
But more's sent in, then was serv'd out.

4. Next, may your Dairies Prosper so,
As that your pans no Ebbe may know;
But if they do, the more to flow.

5. Like to a solemne sober Stream
Bankt all with Lillies, and the Cream
Of sweetest Cow-slips filling Them.

6. Then, may your Plants be prest with Fruit,
Nor Bee, or Hive you have be mute;
But sweetly sounding like a Lute.

7. Next may your Duck and teeming Hen
Both to the Cocks-tread say Amen;
And for their two egs render ten.

8. Last, may your Harrows, Shares and Ploughes,
Your Stacks, your Stocks, your sweetest Mowes,
All prosper by your Virgin-vowes.

9. Alas! we blesse, but see none here,
That brings us either Ale or Beere;
In a drie-house all things are neere.

10. Let's leave a longer time to wait,
Where Rust and Cobwebs bind the gate;
And all live here with needy Fate.

11. Where Chimneys do for ever weepe,
For want of warmth, and Stomachs keepe
With noise, the servants eyes from sleep.

12. It is in vain to sing, or stay
Our free-feet here; but we'l away:
Yet to the Lares this we'l say,

13. The time will come, when you'l be sad,
And reckon this for fortune bad,
T'ave lost the good ye might have had.





Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!


Other Poems of Interest...
Home: PoetryExplorer.net