(@3As It Was Once@1) They're clustering wabbily round the bar And some are singing a lot, and some Who haven't had quite as many, so far, Are making the conversation hum; There's one or two that are slightly glum As they sit in their chairs and hold on tight, And there's one that's roasting the Demon Rum —There's a lot of gentlemen soused to-night! There's one who's babbling about his car, And one who's swearing that I'm his chum, There's one who jigs like a jolly tar, While imitating a fife and drum, There's four men bellowing "rumpty-tum!" And wheeling solemnly, left and right, Their line, however, is out of plumb, There's a lot of gentlemen soused to-night. There's one chap showing the way to spar, Another playing he's deaf and dumb, Two old boys damning the "things that are," And saying these modern days is bum. There's a couple more that are feeling numb And things are wavering in their sight, It won't be long till they both succumb; There's a lot of gentlemen soused to-night. ENVOY And me? I'm smiling and keeping mum As I serve the gentlemen, calm, polite, But speaking vulgarly, I do vum There's a lot of gentlemen soused to-night! | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...INSCRIPTION FOR A FOUNTAIN ON A HEATH by SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE THE YANKEE PRIVATEER by ARTHUR HALE PEACE by GERARD MANLEY HOPKINS OVERHEARD ON A SALTMARSH by HAROLD MONRO SISTER HELEN by DANTE GABRIEL ROSSETTI MAN, THE MAN-HUNTER by CARL SANDBURG TO THE GALLIC EAGLE by BERNARD BARTON |