SUNLIGHT ON THE SEA 



THE PHILOSOPHY OF A FEAST 



Make merry, comrades, eat and drink, 



(The sunlight flickers on the sea), 

 The garlands gleam, the glasses clink, 



The grape juice mantles fair and free, 

 The lamps are trimm'd, although the 

 light 



Of day still lingers on the sky ; 

 We sit between the day and night, 



And push the wine-flask merrily. 

 I see you feasting round me still. 



All gay of heart and strong of limb ; 

 Make merry, friends, your glasses fill. 



The lights are growing dim. 



I miss the voice of one I've heard, 



(The sunlight sinks upon the sea), 

 He sang as blithe as any bird, 



And shook the rafters with his glee ; 

 But times have changed with him, I wot, 



By fickle fortune cross't and flung ; 

 Far stouter heart than mine he's got 



If now he sings as then he sung. 

 Yet some must swim when others sink ; 



And some must sink when others swim ; 

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