Author: Thomas Moore

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    We may roam thro' this world, like a child at a feast,
     Who but sips of a sweet, and then flies to the rest;
    And, when pleasure begins to grow dull in the east,
     We may order our wings and be off to the west;
    But if hearts that feel, and eyes that smile,
     Are the dearest gifts that heaven supplies,
    We never need leave our own green isle,
     For sensitive hearts, and for sun-bright eyes.
    Then remember, wherever your goblet is crowned,
     Thro' this world, whether eastward or westward you roam,
    When a cup to the smile of dear woman goes round,
     Oh! remember the smile which adorns her at home.

    In England, the garden of Beauty is kept
     By a dragon of prudery placed within call;
    But so oft this unamiable dragon has slept,
     That the garden's but carelessly watched after all.
    Oh! they want the wild sweet-briery fence,
     Which round the flowers of Erin dwells;
    Which warns the touch, while winning the sense,
     Nor charms us least when it most repels.
    Then remember, wherever your goblet is crowned,
     Thro' this world, whether eastward or westward you roam,
    When a cup to the smile of dear woman goes round,
     Oh! remember the smile that adorns her at home.

    In France, when the heart of a woman sets sail,
     On the ocean of wedlock its fortune to try,
    Love seldom goes far in a vessel so frail,
     But just pilots her off, and then bids her good-by.
    While the daughters of Erin keep the boy,
     Ever smiling beside his faithful oar,
    Thro' billows of woe, and beams of joy,
     The same as he looked when he left the shore.
    Then remember, wherever your goblet is crowned,
     Thro' this world, whether eastward or westward you roam,
    When a cup to the smile of dear woman goes round,
     Oh! remember the smile that adorns her at home.

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Type of Poem: Ballad

Date Written:

Date Published:

Language: English

Keywords: Public Domain

Source: Public Domain Collection

Publisher:

Rights/Permissions: Public Domain

Comments/Notes: This poem is a celebration of home, love, and the beauty of women, with an underlying theme of wanderlust and exploration. The poem's structure is consistent and rhythmic, employing an AABB rhyme scheme that lends it a harmonious flow. The constant return to the refrain, "Then remember, wherever your goblet is crowned...remember the smile that adorns her at home," emphasizes the poet's message of cherishing the comforts and affections of home, no matter where one's journeys may lead.

The poem's tone is both nostalgic and appreciative, creating a vivid comparison between the allure of the unknown and the beauty of familiar love. This is achieved through compelling metaphors and imagery such as the child at a feast, the sleeping dragon, and the sailing vessel. Particularly noteworthy is the use of geographic metaphors to describe the differing attitudes towards love and femininity in England and France, highlighting the poet’s preference for his own 'green isle'. The poet also employs alliteration and personification, bringing a sense of playfulness and vividness to the poem. The poem is both a critique of societal views of women in different cultures and a tribute to the enduring love that transcends transient pleasures.