AN ODE FOR HIM.
by Robert Herrick


               AH Ben !
           Say how, or when
           Shall we thy guests,
       Meet at those lyric feasts
           Made at the Sun,
       The Dog, the Triple Tun ?
           Where we such clusters had,
       As made us nobly wild, not mad ;
           And yet each verse of thine
Out-did the meat, out-did the frolic wine.

                          My Ben !
                      Or come again,
                      Or send to us
               Thy wit's great overplus ;
                      But teach us yet
               Wisely to husband it,
           Lest we that talent spend :
       And having once brought to an end
           That precious stock ; the store
Of such a wit the world should have no more.


The Sun, etc., famous taverns.

Source:
Herrick, Robert. Works of Robert Herrick. vol II.
Alfred Pollard, ed.
London, Lawrence & Bullen, 1891. 110.
Backto Works of Robert Herrick

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