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Robert Herrick - Oberon`s Feast
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Hapcot! To thee the Fairy State 
I with discretion, dedicate. 
Because thou prizest things that are 
Curious, and un-familiar. 
Take first the feast; these dishes gone, 
We`ll see the Fairy Court anon. 
A little mushroon table spread, 
After short prayers, they set on bread; 
A moon-parched grain of purest wheat, 
With some small glit`ring grit, to eat 
His choice bits with; then in a trice 
They make a feast less great than nice. 
But all this while his eye is serv`d, 
We must not think his ear was sterv`d: 
But that there was in place to stir 
His spleen, the chirring grasshopper, 
The merry cricket, the puling fly, 
The piping gnat for minstralcy. 
And now, we must imagine first, 
The elves present to quench his thirst 
A pure seed-pearl of infant dew, 
Brought and besweetened in a blue 
And pregnant violet; which done 
His kitling eyes begin to run
Quite through the table, where he spies 
The horns of papery butterflies, 
Of which he eats, and tastes a little 
Of that we call the "cuckoo`s spittle." 
A little fuzz-ball-pudding stands  
By, yet not blessed by his hands, 
That was too coarse; but then forthwith 
He ventures boldly on the pith 
Of sugar`d rush, and eats the sag 
And well bestrutted bee`s sweet bag;
Gladding his palate with some store 
Of emit`s eggs; what would he more?
But beards of mice, a newt`s stew`d thigh, 
A bloated earwig, and a fly, 
With the red-capp`d worm that`s shut 
Within the concave of a nut, 
Brown as his tooth. a little moth 
Late fatten`d in a piece of cloth; 
With wither`d cherries, mandrake`s ears, 
Mole`s eyes; to these, the slain stag`s tears, 
The unctuous dewlaps of a snail, 
The broke-heart of a nightingale 
O`er-come in music; with a wine, 
Ne`er ravish`d from the flattering vine, 
But gently press`d from the soft side 
Of the most sweet and dainty bride,
Brought in a dainty daisy, which 
He fully quaffs up to bewitch 
His blood to height; this done, commended 
Grace by his priest, the feast is ended.
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