Absinthia Taetra by Ernest Dowson
Absinthia Taetra is a collection of poems by Ernest Dowson, a British poet of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The poems in this collection explore themes of love, loss, and longing, and are written in a style that is both lyrical and melancholic. The collection is divided into two parts. The first part contains poems about love, such as "Non Sum Qualis Eram Bonae Sub Regno Cynarae" and "Vitae Summa Brevis Spem Nos Vetat Incohare Longam". The second part contains poems about death and loss, such as "Cynara" and "Vitae Summa Brevis". The collection is a reflection of Dowson's own life and experiences. He was a melancholic and introspective poet, and his poems often reflect his own struggles with love, loss, and longing. The collection is a beautiful and poignant exploration of these themes, and is a must-read for anyone interested in Dowson's work.
By Ernest Dowson · First published 1900 · Genre: Romance, Drama, Fantasy · 187 words
First lines
GREEN changed to white, emerald to an opal: nothing was changed.
The man let the water trickle gently into his glass, and as the green clouded, a mist fell from his mind.
Then he drank opaline.
Memories and terrors beset him. The past tore after him like a panther and through the blackness of the present he saw the luminous tiger eyes of the things to be.
What this Textopian page supports
Absinthia Taetra is listed on Textopian as a short story by Ernest Dowson, dated 1900 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Ernest Dowson
- Date: 1900 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Romance, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Historical Fiction
- Length: 187 words
- Structure: 1 section, 10 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Absinthia Taetra by Ernest Dowson
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Absinthia Taetra?
- How does this short story by Ernest Dowson fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Romance first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Dying Of Francis Donne by Ernest Dowson
- Artemis Altera by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- The Cake by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- The Sick Muse by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- Robed In A Silken Robe by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
- The Flask by Charles Pierre Baudelaire
Genres
- Romance — The book follows the story of a young woman's journey of self-discovery and her romantic relationships with two men.
- Drama — The book is filled with dramatic moments and conflicts that the protagonist must face and overcome.
- Fantasy — The book contains elements of fantasy, such as the protagonist's ability to see the future and her encounters with supernatural beings.
- Mystery — The book contains a mysterious element, as the protagonist must uncover the secrets of her past and the truth behind her visions.
Tags
poetry · symbolism · decadence · romanticism · melancholy · absinthe · London · 19th century · literary movement · aestheticism · existentialism · impressionism