Classic Poem

Hail, happy little animal,
Delight of men and nature, hail!
Seated in thy chair of mirth,
Glad thou view'st the joyous earth,
And inspired by cheerful wine,
Mak'st the world around thee shine:
Thine the fruits, and thine the flow'rs,
Thine whate'er the winged hours
O'er sea, or earth, or air produce,
All submitted to thy use.
All to thee due homage pay,
Monarch thou, and tribute they.

Thee innocence and love commend,
Thee mankind salute their friend;
Pleased they see thee sit and sing,
Emblem of the welcome Spring.

Whate'er the bounteous gods bestow,
Thou giv'st with equal bounty too;
And careless of futurity,
Happy thou liv'st extempore.

Time before thee flags his wing,
And faster than he flies you sing;
And if duration, as we're taught,
Is measured by successive thought;
Or if, as wisest men confess,
'Tis best esteemed by happiness;
You, in the compass of a day,
Live longer than Methuselah.

Hail! bloodless, fleshless animal,
Wise at once, and musical;
In thee the Muses all rejoice,
Inspire thy lays, and tune thy voice;
Winter and age before thee fly,
And thou cans't never dread to die;
Death can thee of naught bereave;
Thou mock'st the tyrant and the grave:
Thou alcohol of skin and bone,
Angelic airy skeleton,
Body to spirit rectified,
And nearly to the gods allied.