You left out some of the best wine verse there is.

The Rubayyat of Omar Khayyam (with assistance from Edward Fitzgerald).

(XLIII -- XLVI)
You know, my Friends, with what a brave Carouse
I made a Second Marriage in my house;
Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed,
And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.

And lately, by the Tavern Door agape,
Came stealing through the Dusk an Angel Shape
Bearing a Vessel on his Shoulder; and
He bid me taste of it; and 'twas -- the Grape!

The Grape that can with Logic Absolute
The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute;
The subtle Alchemist that in a Trice
Life's leaden Metal into Gold transmute.

Why, be this Juice the growth of God, who dare
Blaspheme the twisted tendril as a Snare?
A Blessing, we should use it, should we not?
And if a Curse -- why, then, Who set it there?

(XII)
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread, -- and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness --
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

[For the casual reader, in Fitzgerald's day, "enow" was a synonym for "enough".]

shrdlu wrote:You left out some of the best wine verse there is.

The Rubayyat of Omar Khayyam (with assistance from Edward Fitzgerald).

(XLIII -- XLVI)
You know, my Friends, with what a brave Carouse
I made a Second Marriage in my house;
Divorced old barren Reason from my Bed,
And took the Daughter of the Vine to Spouse.

And lately, by the Tavern Door agape,
Came stealing through the Dusk an Angel Shape
Bearing a Vessel on his Shoulder; and
He bid me taste of it; and 'twas -- the Grape!

The Grape that can with Logic Absolute
The Two-and-Seventy jarring Sects confute;
The subtle Alchemist that in a Trice
Life's leaden Metal into Gold transmute.

Why, be this Juice the growth of God, who dare
Blaspheme the twisted tendril as a Snare?
A Blessing, we should use it, should we not?
And if a Curse -- why, then, Who set it there?

(XII)
A Book of Verses underneath the Bough,
A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread, -- and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness --
Oh, Wilderness were Paradise enow!

[For the casual reader, in Fitzgerald's day, "enow" was a synonym for "enough".]

Splendid! What are the rest of the sections / verses/ stanzas like?

richardhod wrote:Splendid! What are the rest of the sections / verses/ stanzas like?

http://www.amazon.com/Rubaiyat-Omar-Khayyam-Edward-Fitzgerald/dp/1599867214/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303105804&sr=1-2 (A copy of the book)

http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/okhym.htm (Full stanzas, including pieces not published in the book above)

shrdlu wrote:http://www.amazon.com/Rubaiyat-Omar-Khayyam-Edward-Fitzgerald/dp/1599867214/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1303105804&sr=1-2 (A copy of the book)

http://www.library.cornell.edu/colldev/mideast/okhym.htm (Full stanzas, including pieces not published in the book above)

Thank you! Fun, and very Victorian Definitely westernised verse. I feel the translation may be improved, or at least rendered more culturally accurate, in a more contemporary translation.

Agreed, "A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread, -- and Thou ..."

richardhod wrote:Thank you! Fun, and very Victorian Definitely westernised verse. I feel the translation may be improved, or at least rendered more culturally accurate, in a more contemporary translation.

It is generally agreed that the translation by Fitzgerald is the thing that makes the effort worthwhile. It can be seen as a marriage between the two, and there are currently many other translations of Omar that you may purchase, if you choose. They are interesting for a picture of his time (he was a philosopher, and well known in his day), but the poetry that made him famous in our present day is due to the interpretations by Fitzgerald, and not just Omar Khayyam's words and phrasing.

Oh glorious wine dark red in my glass
You fool others into thinking I have class
A sonorous ode, I sing, as my lips you pass
Good enough for Jesus we drink you at Mass
PS, you hit me like a symphony section of brass
SB you tantalize me with your notes of grass
Soon I will be completely wasted and flopping on the floor like a bass


I've never been one for rhyming.

bhodilee wrote:Oh glorious wine dark red in my glass
You fool others into thinking I have class
A sonorous ode, I sing, as my lips you pass
Good enough for Jesus we drink you at Mass
PS, you hit me like a symphony section of brass
SB you tantalize me with your notes of grass
Soon I will be completely wasted and flopping on the floor like a bass

Somehow it's fitting that all your lines rhyme with "smartass"

shrdlu wrote:It is generally agreed that the translation by Fitzgerald is the thing that makes the effort worthwhile. It can be seen as a marriage between the two, and there are currently many other translations of Omar that you may purchase, if you choose. They are interesting for a picture of his time (he was a philosopher, and well known in his day), but the poetry that made him famous in our present day is due to the interpretations by Fitzgerald, and not just Omar Khayyam's words and phrasing.

Interesting! I shall investigate further. My interest is piqued! Many thanks!

My two favorites that deal directly with wine:

"If a life of wine, women and song get too much, give up the singing."
-Anonymous

"What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch?"
-W.C. Fields


Well.... not poems more of quotes... but gets the point across

princesskristin wrote:My two favorites that deal directly with wine:

"If a life of wine, women and song get too much, give up the singing."
-Anonymous

"What contemptible scoundrel has stolen the cork to my lunch?"
-W.C. Fields


Well.... not poems more of quotes... but gets the point across

LOL. Although actually the first was wrong! Singing helps you handle the women and the wine. Helps with those abdominal muscles...

Apparently Yeats' aim wasn't very good after a little wine. C'mon, really, the eye?