# Lines on A. B. explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by James McIntyre.

## What happens

A humorous poem recalling a banquet given by the Odd Fellows in London nearly thirty years ago, where a brother aggressively asks the speaker about the whereabouts of Brother Abel, and the speaker deflects with a playful biblical reference.

## Themes in this chapter

### Community and Social Gatherings

The poem centers on a banquet hosted by the Odd Fellows, highlighting fraternal social life.

## Character check-ins

### James McIntyre

Speaker and poet attending the Odd Fellows banquet.

## Key lines

> A brother looked at me as though I had been Cain, And in a voice of thunder, as I sat at the table, He fiercely asked of me 'where is your Brother Abel?'

A fellow member stared at me accusingly and loudly demanded to know where Brother Abel was.

_Biblical allusion to Cain and Abel used for humorous effect._

> To which I did reply 'I'm not my brother's keeper, But at home you'll find him, in his bed asleep, sir.'

I answered that I was not responsible for him, but that he was at home sleeping.

_Deflection of responsibility with a witty retort._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters/lines-on-a-b
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_12_se/chapters