Edgar Allan Poe

Lines on Ale

Summary


"Lines on Ale" is a short poem by Edgar Allan Poe that trades gothic dread for gleeful indulgence. The speaker raises a glass of cream-laced amber ale and welcomes the quaint thoughts and queer fancies that bubble up through his pleasantly clouded mind. Light, rhythmic, and almost defiantly carefree, the poem captures a rare mood from Poe — one of warmth and whimsy — as the speaker dismisses the march of time in favour of another satisfying drink.

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Fill with mingled cream and amber
I will drain that glass again.
Such hilarious visions clamber
Through the chamber of my brain –
Quaintest thoughts – queerest fancies
Come to life and fade away;
What care I how time advances?
I am drinking ale today.

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Credits

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American writer celebrated for his mastery of gothic horror, mystery, and poetry, best known for works such as "The Raven" and "The Tell-Tale Heart." "Lines on Ale" offers a striking contrast to his darker output, revealing a playful, self-indulgent wit that Poe rarely put to the page. It is among the shortest and most light-hearted pieces in his body of work.