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.

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.
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