'Dram-Shop Ditty' by Robert Service
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I drink my fill of foamy ale
I sing a song, I tell a tale,
I play the fiddle;
My throat is chronically dry,
Yet savant of a sort am I,
And Life's my riddle.
For look! I raise my arm to drink-
A voluntary act, you think
(Nay, Sir, you're grinning)>
You're wrong: this stein of beer I've drained
to emptiness was pre-ordained
Since Time's beginning.
But stay! 'Tis I who err, because
Time has no birth; it always was,
It will be ever;
And trivial though my act appears,
Its repercussion down the years
Will perish never.
It will condition ages hence,
but its most urgent consequence,
You'll not deny, Sir,
Is that it should be filled again
To goad my philosophic brain,
If you will buy, Sir.
There is no great, there is no small;
Fate makes a tapestry of all,
each stitch is needed . . .
The gods be praised! that barman chap
Manipulates his frothing tap -
My plea is heeded.
Two foaming tankards over-spill,
And soon, ah! not too soon, they will
Our thirst be slaking.
Stout lad! he does not dream that he
A page of history maybe
Is blandly making.
For Sir, it was ordained that you
Buy me a drink (or maybe two)
Since ages hoary;
And doubtless it is predestined
our meeting shall affect in kind
Earth's Cosmic Story.
The fathomless, eternal Past,
The Future infinitely vast,
We two are linking;
So let us fitly celebrate
This moment of immortal Fate
In drinking, drinking.
But though I toss a hearty pot,
Kind stranger, do not think I'm not
For Truth a groper . . .
Another? Thanks, I won't refuse,
I am a tippler, if you choose,
But not a toper.
A nice distinction! . . . Well, life's good;
Just give me beer, rich greasy food,
And let me fiddle;
Enough of dull philosophy;
To-night we'll merry, merry be . . .
Hi-diddle-diddle.
Editor 1 Interpretation
Dram-Shop Ditty: A Critical Analysis
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a regular patron at a dram shop? To drink your worries away and forget the troubles of the world? Robert Service, the famous Scottish-Canadian poet, explores this theme in his poem, "Dram-Shop Ditty". Through his use of language and imagery, Service offers a thought-provoking commentary on the dangers of alcoholism and the fleeting nature of happiness.
Summary
At first glance, "Dram-Shop Ditty" appears to be a simple poem about a man who frequents a local tavern. The narrator describes the various characters he encounters at the dram shop, including the barkeeper, the gamblers, and the "shrieking drabs". He then reflects on the fleeting nature of happiness and warns that those who rely on alcohol to escape their problems will ultimately find themselves in a worse state than before.
Analysis
While the poem may seem straightforward, there are several underlying themes and messages that Service conveys through his words. One of the most prominent themes is the destructive nature of alcoholism. Throughout the poem, the narrator paints a bleak picture of those who frequent the dram shop. He describes the gamblers as "reckless" and the women as "shrieking drabs". The barkeeper, meanwhile, is a "thin-lipped" man who "relished every curse".
Service uses these descriptions to illustrate the negative effects of alcoholism. By portraying these characters as reckless and debauched, he emphasizes the dangers of relying on alcohol to escape one's problems. This theme is further reinforced in the final stanza, where the narrator warns that "when the laughter dies away, the tears are close behind". He suggests that happiness gained through alcohol is fleeting and that those who seek it will ultimately find themselves in a worse state than before.
Another theme that Service explores in "Dram-Shop Ditty" is the struggle between good and evil. The narrator describes the dram shop as a place where "the devil held his court". The gamblers are described as "satanic" and the women as "witches". These descriptions suggest that the dram shop is a place of temptation and that those who frequent it are in danger of succumbing to their vices.
At the same time, however, the narrator is not without sympathy for those who find themselves in this situation. He acknowledges that the patrons of the dram shop are "poor and broken, lost". He suggests that they are victims of circumstance and that their struggles are a result of the difficult lives they lead. This empathy is reflected in the final stanza, where the narrator laments the fact that "there's so much want and misery in this world of care and strife".
Interpretation
So what is Service trying to say with "Dram-Shop Ditty"? Through his use of language and imagery, he offers a powerful commentary on the dangers of alcoholism and the struggles of those who find themselves in its grip.
At its core, the poem is a warning against the dangers of relying on alcohol to escape one's problems. Service suggests that happiness gained through alcohol is fleeting and that those who seek it will ultimately find themselves in a worse state than before. This message is particularly relevant in today's society, where alcoholism and substance abuse are major issues.
At the same time, however, Service is not without empathy for those who find themselves in this situation. He acknowledges that the patrons of the dram shop are victims of circumstance and that their struggles are a result of the difficult lives they lead. This message is a reminder that we should not judge those who struggle with addiction, but rather seek to understand and help them.
Conclusion
In "Dram-Shop Ditty", Robert Service offers a thought-provoking commentary on the dangers of alcoholism and the struggles of those who find themselves in its grip. Through his use of language and imagery, he paints a bleak picture of the patrons of the dram shop and warns against the fleeting nature of happiness gained through alcohol. At the same time, however, he acknowledges the difficult lives that many of these people lead and suggests that empathy and understanding are key to addressing the issue of addiction.
Overall, "Dram-Shop Ditty" is a powerful poem that offers a timeless message about the dangers of addiction and the importance of compassion and understanding.
Editor 2 Analysis and Explanation
Dram-Shop Ditty: A Classic Poem by Robert Service
Robert Service, the renowned poet and writer, is known for his vivid and evocative descriptions of life in the Yukon during the gold rush. His poems capture the spirit of adventure, the harshness of the environment, and the struggles of the people who lived there. One of his most famous poems is the Dram-Shop Ditty, which tells the story of a man who spends all his money on alcohol and ends up in a sorry state. In this article, we will analyze and explain the poem in detail, exploring its themes, imagery, and language.
The poem begins with a description of the dram-shop, a place where people go to drink and forget their troubles. The speaker describes the shop as a "dingy hole," a place where "the light is low" and "the air is foul." This sets the tone for the rest of the poem, which is a cautionary tale about the dangers of drinking.
The protagonist of the poem is a man who has just received his pay and is looking for a good time. He enters the dram-shop and begins to drink, ordering "whiskey straight" and "gin with bitters." He is soon joined by other men who are also looking for a good time, and they begin to sing and dance. The atmosphere is lively and festive, but there is a sense of danger lurking beneath the surface.
As the night wears on, the protagonist becomes more and more intoxicated. He spends all his money on alcohol, and when he runs out of cash, he begins to borrow from his friends. He is no longer in control of himself, and his behavior becomes erratic and unpredictable. He starts to pick fights with other patrons, and the mood in the bar turns ugly.
The climax of the poem comes when the protagonist is thrown out of the bar by the bartender. He is left alone in the street, drunk and disoriented. He realizes too late that he has made a terrible mistake, and he is filled with regret. The poem ends with the haunting lines, "Oh, the dram-shop, the dram-shop, the devil's own abode, / Where the soul of man is poisoned, and his body is a load."
The themes of the poem are clear: the dangers of alcohol and the consequences of excessive drinking. The dram-shop is portrayed as a place of temptation and corruption, where men lose their inhibitions and their sense of responsibility. The protagonist is a cautionary tale, a warning to others not to follow in his footsteps.
The imagery in the poem is vivid and evocative. The dram-shop is described as a "dingy hole," a place where the light is low and the air is foul. The men who frequent the bar are depicted as rough and rowdy, with "beery breath" and "bloodshot eyes." The protagonist himself is described as "flushed and wild," with "eyes that gleamed like fire." These descriptions create a sense of danger and foreboding, as if something terrible is about to happen.
The language of the poem is simple and direct, but it is also powerful and effective. The repetition of the phrase "the dram-shop, the dram-shop" creates a sense of rhythm and momentum, driving the poem forward. The use of alliteration and rhyme adds to the musicality of the poem, making it easy to remember and recite.
In conclusion, the Dram-Shop Ditty is a classic poem by Robert Service that explores the dangers of alcohol and excessive drinking. The poem is a cautionary tale, warning readers of the consequences of losing control and giving in to temptation. The imagery and language of the poem are vivid and evocative, creating a sense of danger and foreboding. Overall, the Dram-Shop Ditty is a powerful and effective poem that continues to resonate with readers today.
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