Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

THE SNAKE IN THE GLASS; A HOMILY by JOHN GODFREY SAXE

First Line: COME LISTEN AWHILE TO ME, MY LAD
Last Line: AND VISIT A REGULAR SHOW!
Subject(s): ALCOHOLISM & ALCOHOLICS;
COME listen awhile to me, my lad;
Come listen to me for a spell;
Let that terrible drum
For a moment be dumb,
For your uncle is going to tell
What befell
A youth who loved liquor too well.

A clever young man was he, my lad;
And with beauty uncommonly blest,
Ere, with brandy and wine,
He began to decline,
And behaved like a person possessed;
I protest
The temperance plan is the best.

One evening he went to a tavern, my lad;
He went to a tavern one night,
And drinking too much
Rum, brandy, and such.
The chap got exceedingly "tight;"
And was quite
What your aunt would entitle a fright.

The fellow fell into a snooze, my lad;
'T is a horrible slumber he takes;
He trembles with fear,
And acts very queer;
My eyes! how he shivers and shakes
When he wakes,
And raves about horrid great snakes!

'T is a warning to you and to me, my lad;
A particular caution to all, --
Though no one can see
The vipers but he, --
To hear the poor lunatic bawl: --
"How they craw! --
All over the floor and the wall!"

Next morning he took to his bed, my lad;
Next morning he took to his bed;
And he never got up
To dine or to sup,
Though properly physicked and bled;
And I read,
Next day, the poor fellow was dead!

You've heard of the snake in the grass my lad;
Of the viper concealed in the grass;
But now, you must know,
Man's deadliest foe
Is a snake of a different class;
Alas! --
'T is the viper that lurks in the glass!

A warning to you and to me, my lad;
A very imperative call:
Of liquor keep clear;
Don't drink even beer,
If you'd shun all occasion to fall;
If at all,
Pray take it uncommonly small.

And if you are partial to snakes, my lad
(A passion I think rather low),
Don't enter, to see 'em,
The Devil's Museum! --
'T is very much better to go
(That's so!)
And visit a regular show!



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