The poem describes a scene of debauchery and excess at an old London tavern. The speaker observes the patrons' drunken behavior, their loud laughter, and their reckless abandon. The atmosphere is one of chaos and disorder, with the absinthe fueling their wild antics. The poem critiques the excesses of modern life and the dangers of unchecked hedonism.
By Joyce Kilmer · First published 1908 · Genre: Literary Criticism, Biography, Essays