Anacreontics (Benson, 1872)/The Pertinacious Toper
THE PERTINACIOUS TOPER.
FROM THE GERMAN.
In coolest cellar here I rest,
Near a full cask of liquor,
Right glad at heart, since of the best
I for myself can pick here.
The butler puts the spigot in,
Obedient to my winking,
Gives me the cup; I hold it up,
I'm drinking, drinking, drinking!
A demon plagues me, thirst to wit,
And so, to scare the fellow,
I take my glass and into it
Let flow the Rhine-wine mellow.
The whole earth smiles upon me then,
With ruddy, rosy blinking;
I couldn't hurt the worst of men,
While drinking, drinking, drinking!
But ah! my thirst grows fiercer still
With every flask I ope here,
Which is th' inevitable ill
Of every genuine toper.
Yet this my comfort, when at last
From chair to floor I'm sinking,
I always kept my purpose fast
Of drinking, drinking, drinking!