Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, AT THE TAVERN, by ALICE CARY


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

AT THE TAVERN, by                 Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: What'll you have, john
Last Line: "of staying too long."
Subject(s): Bars & Bartenders; Pubs; Taverns; Saloons


"WHAT'LL you have, John?
Cider or gin?
Or something stronger?
Walk right in.
Hurry up, landlord,
With main and might,
And don't make a thirsty man
Wait all night!

"Not any cider?
And ale won't do.
A brandy-smasher, then,
Glasses for two!
And mind you, landlord,
Mix it strong,
And don't keep us waiting here
All night long!

"Not any brandy?
Landlord, drum
Something or other up.
Got any rum?
Step about lively!
Hot and strong,
And don't keep us waiting here
All night long!

"Not any toddy?
Not the least little bit?
Whiskey and water, then,
That must be it!
Step about, landlord,
We're all right,
And don't make a thirsty man
Wait all night!"

"What's wrong now, John?
Come, sit down.
Don't you like white sugar?
Then have brown.
And, landlord, hark ye,
Cigars and a light,
And don't keep us waiting here
Quite all night!"

"What'll I have, man?
The right, to be sure,
To keep all the sense that
God gave me secure!
The right to myself, man,
And, in the next place,
The right to look all
Honest men in the face!

"So, waiter, you need not
Be off on the run
Till I've countermanded
All orders but one:
No liquor, no sugar,
Nor brown, nor yet white,
And don't fetch cigars in,
And don't fetch a light!

"We're on our way home
To our children and wives,
And wouldn't stay plaguing them
Not for our lives;
Fetch only the water,
The rest is all wrong,
We can't take the chances
Of staying too long."





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