There, by the starlit fences The wanderer halts and hears My soul that lingers sighing About the glimmering weirs.
A. E. HousmanRead
Why, if 'tis dancing you would be, There's brisker pipes than poetry. Say, for what were hop-yards meant, Or why was Burton built on Trent? Oh many a peer of England brews Livelier liquor than the Muse, And malt does more than Milton can To justify God's ways to man. Ale, man, ale's the stuff to drink For fellows whom it hurts to think: Look into the pewter pot To see the world as the world's not.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the joy and escapism found in enjoying life, particularly through the drink of ale and the pleasures it brings, contrasting it with the depth of poetry.
In this quote, A. E. Housman contrasts the stimulating effects of ale with the contemplative nature of poetry, suggesting that sometimes, the enjoyment of simple pleasures can provide a more immediate relief from life's burdens than deep philosophical reflections. Housman reflects on how the act of drinking can create a joyful and less serious approach to life, allowing one to escape from the harsh realities of existence. The quote highlights a balance between enjoying life's simple pleasures and engaging with profound thoughts, hinting that sometimes escapism through revelry can offer more comfort than introspection.
Themes
AlePoetryDrinkingEscapismLifeJoy
In practice
Example use cases
During a toast at a celebration, one might share this quote to emphasize the joy of communal drinking.
More from A. E. Housman
All quotes →Who made the world I cannot tell; 'Tis made, and here am I in hell. My hand, though now my knuckles bleed, I never soiled with such a deed.
A. E. HousmanRead
I am not a pessimist but a pejorist (as George Eliot said she was not an optimist but a meliorist); and that philosophy is founded on my observation of the world, not on anything so trivial and irrelevant as personal history.
A. E. HousmanRead
Lovers lying two and two Ask not whom they sleep beside, And the bridegroom all night through Never turns him to the bride.
A. E. HousmanRead
And malt does more than Milton can to justify God's ways to man.
A. E. HousmanRead
Oh, 'tis jesting, dancing, drinking_x000D_ _x000D_ Spins the heavy world around.
A. E. HousmanRead
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