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Art thou aweary, friend, in all thy bones?
Drink wine, red wine, and so forget thy groans;
Wine is unlawful, sayst thou? then say I—
Who loves not wine had best, I think, eat stones.
Think not that I have never tried your way
To heaven, you who pray and fast and pray :
Once I denied myself both love and wine—
Yea, wine and love—for a whole summer day.
I cannot help it—were it in my power,
I would forsake my sins this very hour,
Forsake the Rose, and bid the Vine good-bye,
Kiss my last kiss—if it were in my power.
O good old friends, what is it I have said?
It was the wine that got into my head—
Forgive me, O forgive, I meant it not,
I shall forsake you only when I'm dead.
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