Twenty Gallons of Sleep



MEASURE me out from the fathomless tun   
 That somewhere or other you keep   
In your vasty cellars, O wealthy one,   
 Twenty gallons of sleep.   
  
Twenty gallons of balmy sleep,           
 Dreamless, and deep, and mild,   
Of the excellent brand you used to keep   
 When I was a little child.   
  
I’ve tasted of all your vaunted stock,   
 Your clarets and ports of Spain,           
The liquid gold of your famous hock,   
 And your matchless dry champagne.   
  
Of your rich muscats and your sherries fine,   
 I’ve drunk both well and deep;   
Then measure me out, O merchant mine,           
 Twenty gallons of sleep.   
  
Twenty gallons of slumber soft,   
 Of the innocent, baby kind,   
When the angels flutter their wings aloft   
 And the pillow with down is lined.           
  
I have drawn the corks, and drained the lees,   
 Of every vintage pressed;   
If I’ve felt the sting of my honey bees,   
 I’ve taken it with the rest.   
  
I have lived my life, and I’ll not repine;           
 As I sowed I was bound to reap;   
Then measure me out, O merchant mine,   
 Twenty gallons of sleep.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

54 sec read
61

Quick analysis:

Scheme abaB bcbc dada abAB xexe fgfg abAB
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,100
Words 180
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

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