The inspiration for this quatrain is contained in O. 75.
I drink wine, and everyone drinks who, like me, is worthy of it;
My wine-drinking is but a small thing to Him;
God knew on the Day of Creation, that I should drink wine;
If I do not drink wine God's knowledge would be ignorance.
Ref.: O. 75, C. 202, L. 356, B. 352, S.P. 182, P. 324, B. ii. 234, T. 129, P. v. 181.—W. 197, N. 182, V. 355.
I must abjure the Balm of Life, I must,
Scared by some After-reckoning ta'en on trust,
Or lured with Hope of some Diviner Drink,
To fill the Cup—when crumbled into Dust!
This quatrain is taken from C. 505 and O. 143, ll. 3 and 4.
They say, «Do not drink wine for thou wilt suffer for it,
On the Day of Rewards thou wilt be cast into the fire.»
That is so; but what is worth both the worlds
Is the moment when thou art elated with wine.
Ref.: C. 505, L. 748, B. 734, P. 250, B. ii. 587.—V. 800.
Make thyself a heaven here with wine and cup,
For at that place where heaven is, thou mayst arrive, or mayst not.