Since this month’s ‘issue’ started with Dionysus and Wine, I thought I would just recommend one of my favorite poems. Not a ‘witchy’ poem but, applicable to Life nevertheless. The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam is pretty allegorical about it’s reference to “Wine” but, if you haven’t read it, you might enjoy.
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Thanks for sharing! I haven’t had a chance to read it in its entirety, but I found it in the Gutenberg archive, and since it’s in the public domain, I’ll leave a link here for everyone to enjoy: Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam.
Here’s my favorite passage too, with a more modern translation I found on Wikipedia:
Quatrain XI
I desire a little ruby wine and a book of verses,
Just enough to keep me alive, and half a loaf is needful;
And then, that I and thou should sit in a desolate place
Is better than the kingdom of a sultan.
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Thanks, Francisco for replying. Here are a few of mine:
Quatrain VII
“Come, fill the Cup, and in the Fire of Spring
The Winter Garment of Repentence fling:
The Bird of Time has but a little way
To fly–and Lo! the Bird is on the Wing.”
Quatrain XI
“Here with a Loaf of Bread beneath the Bough,
A Flask of Wine, a Book of Verse–and Thou
Beside me singing in the Wilderness–
And Wilderness is Paradise enow.”
Quatrain XXI
“Lo! some we loved, the lovliest and the best
That Time and Fate of all their Vintage prest,
Have drunk their Cup a Round or two before,
And one by one crept silently to Rest.”
This one has no reference to Wine but, it is still poignant and beautiful.
Quatrain XXVI
“Oh, come with old Khayyám, and leave the Wise
To talk; one thing is certain, that Life flies;
One thing is certain, and the Rest is Lies;
The Flower that once has blown for ever dies.”
Quatrain XLII
“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!”
Quatrain XLIII
“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,”
Quatrain XLVIII
“While the Rose blows along the River Bank,
With old Khayyám the Ruby Vintage drink:
And when the Angel with his darker Draught
Draws up to Thee–take that, and do not shrink.”
And last, but not least:
Quatrain LXXV
“And when Thyself with shining Foot shall pass
Among the Guests Star-Scatter’d on the Grass,
And in thy joyous Errand reach the Spot
Where I made one–turn down and empty Glass!”
BTW, it is said that many ancient texts used allegorical terms to “hide” what they were saying; such as Bread=Truth, Water=Knowledge and Wine=Understanding. IDK, but it puts a different slant on many things I have read.
Be Well,
Henry
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It seems very fitting to welcome the “Dionysus season” and the Bacchanalia (today!) with such poems - these are great! Thank you for sharing them @henry and Francisco! 
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