Vocabulary in Feast

The narrator’s choice to single out the “vintner”—a wine merchant—and “monger”—a trader— creates a subtle class distinction. Having arrived at an elevated philosophical state, the narrator leaves “the grape and bean” to those of the working class. While the gesture may be metaphorical, it nonetheless reveals a tone of superiority.

The word “lean” bears multiple registers. The narrator has accepted a state of leanness, of unfulfilled hunger. The word also points to “lean” in the verb form, evoking the feeling of leaning. This leaning accompanies the “lying down,” and contributes to the state of surrender that characterizes the third stanza.