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Poem
April 4, 1840
The Connecticut Observer, And New York Congregationalist
Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut
What is this article about?
A cautionary poem warning against the deceptive allure of wine, which leads to ruin and death, advocating instead for the pure pleasures of cold water. Attributed to Darwin.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
POETRY.
O TOUCH NOT THE WINE CUP.
O touch not the wine cup, though fair it may seem,
As the fancy-wrought scenes of a beautiful dream,
And the soft, honied accents of pleasure invite
To banish thy cares, and to bask in its light;
Like the sepulchre gilded, the eye it may win,
But corruption and death are secreted within!
O touch not the wine cup, though its fountains disclose
The brilliancy of diamonds, and the hues of the rose:
Though it seems like the nectar which deities sip,
And the thought brings desire at once to thy lip :
For a serpent lies coiled its bright surface beneath.
Whose bite will work ruin, and madness, and death!
O touch not the wine cup, though blithely it pass,
In the circles of fashion and friendship (alas!)
Though beauty extend it with softness and grace
With smiles in her eye, and joy in her face ;
No polish or kindness its bane can expel,
Its embrace is as fatal, its poison as fell!
O touch not the wine cup, though embellished with flowers
Which poets hath wreathed, in their festival hours;
The bright gifts of genius too oft are misplac'd
And bestow'd where they'd better by far go to waste;
For an asp lies concealed there, whose venomous sting
Strikes deep to the heart, and poison's life's spring!
O touch not the wine cup, though hymen has long
Passed it round in his court with the dance and the song;
The aid of a "mocker" we do not require
To add to our mirth, or true pleasure inspire;
Though a while it enliven the heart and the brain.
In the end it brings anguish, and sorrow, and pain
O touch not the wine cup! a pleasanter draught
Than Bacchus and all his adorers have quaff'd
Bubbles forth in profusion from well and from spring,
The beverage of Eden, to it let us cling!
Health, pleasure, and peace dance in its pure rays,
Cold water! cold water! for the rest of our days!
DARWIN.
O TOUCH NOT THE WINE CUP.
O touch not the wine cup, though fair it may seem,
As the fancy-wrought scenes of a beautiful dream,
And the soft, honied accents of pleasure invite
To banish thy cares, and to bask in its light;
Like the sepulchre gilded, the eye it may win,
But corruption and death are secreted within!
O touch not the wine cup, though its fountains disclose
The brilliancy of diamonds, and the hues of the rose:
Though it seems like the nectar which deities sip,
And the thought brings desire at once to thy lip :
For a serpent lies coiled its bright surface beneath.
Whose bite will work ruin, and madness, and death!
O touch not the wine cup, though blithely it pass,
In the circles of fashion and friendship (alas!)
Though beauty extend it with softness and grace
With smiles in her eye, and joy in her face ;
No polish or kindness its bane can expel,
Its embrace is as fatal, its poison as fell!
O touch not the wine cup, though embellished with flowers
Which poets hath wreathed, in their festival hours;
The bright gifts of genius too oft are misplac'd
And bestow'd where they'd better by far go to waste;
For an asp lies concealed there, whose venomous sting
Strikes deep to the heart, and poison's life's spring!
O touch not the wine cup, though hymen has long
Passed it round in his court with the dance and the song;
The aid of a "mocker" we do not require
To add to our mirth, or true pleasure inspire;
Though a while it enliven the heart and the brain.
In the end it brings anguish, and sorrow, and pain
O touch not the wine cup! a pleasanter draught
Than Bacchus and all his adorers have quaff'd
Bubbles forth in profusion from well and from spring,
The beverage of Eden, to it let us cling!
Health, pleasure, and peace dance in its pure rays,
Cold water! cold water! for the rest of our days!
DARWIN.
What sub-type of article is it?
Song
Ode
What themes does it cover?
Temperance Moderation
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Temperance
Wine Dangers
Cold Water
Moral Warning
Bacchus
Alcohol Ruin
What entities or persons were involved?
Darwin.
Poem Details
Title
O Touch Not The Wine Cup.
Author
Darwin.
Subject
Warning Against The Wine Cup
Form / Style
Rhymed Quatrains
Key Lines
O Touch Not The Wine Cup, Though Fair It May Seem,
Like The Sepulchre Gilded, The Eye It May Win,
For A Serpent Lies Coiled Its Bright Surface Beneath.
Cold Water! Cold Water! For The Rest Of Our Days!