Rate-a-Poem: A Drunken Man's Praise of Sobriety

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  • 5 Stars: A masterpiece

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • 4 Stars: A strong poem, but some elements didn't appeal to me

    Votes: 1 7.7%
  • 3 Stars: A good poem, but it didn't move me to any great extent

    Votes: 7 53.8%
  • 2 Stars: A flawed or uninspiring piece of work

    Votes: 2 15.4%
  • 1 Star: Does absolutely nothing for me

    Votes: 1 7.7%

  • Total voters
    13

poetinahat

Numbers are beautiful
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by William Butler Yeats (1865-1939)

A Drunken Man's Praise Of Sobriety

COME swish around, my pretty punk,
And keep me dancing still
That I may stay a sober man
Although I drink my fill.

Sobriety is a jewel
That I do much adore;
And therefore keep me dancing
Though drunkards lie and snore.
O mind your feet, O mind your feet,
Keep dancing like a wave,
And under every dancer
A dead man in his grave.
No ups and downs, my pretty,
A mermaid, not a punk;
A drunkard is a dead man,
And all dead men are drunk.
 

dolores haze

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When was this written? It seems like it could have been written yesterday.

I like it without loving it. Maybe I should read it again when I'm drunk.
 

JRH

practical experience, FTW
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This is FAR from being one of Yeat's BEST poems, (or even one of his "Better" ones). It was simply a filler in his "Last Poems" volume and that's all it's good for.

JRH
 

A. Hamilton

here for a minute...catch me?
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kinda fun. pretty well written.
I'll probably forget where I read them, but I do like these lines:
O mind your feet, O mind your feet,
Keep dancing like a wave,
And under every dancer
A dead man in his grave.
 

ddgryphon

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kinda fun. pretty well written.
I'll probably forget where I read them, but I do like these lines:
O mind your feet, O mind your feet,
Keep dancing like a wave,
And under every dancer
A dead man in his grave.


Perzactly, my thoughts.
 

Xelebes

Delerium ex Ennui
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Not particularly inspiring, feels flat to me. Some of the imagery is a stretch, e.g. "Keep dancing like a wave" and only serves to fill the meter and not the poem.