# A Plantation Bacchanal explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by James Weldon Johnson.

## What happens

The poem describes a plantation celebration where drinking corn juice (alcohol) is used to escape troubles, sorrow, and the physical pains of aging, advocating for living in the moment and letting tomorrow take care of itself.

## Themes in this chapter

### Temptation and Fall

The poem presents alcohol as a temptation that offers temporary escape from life's burdens, suggesting a fall into hedonism as a coping mechanism.

### Resilience and Hope

Despite the focus on drinking, the refrain 'never mind to-morrer, 'Twill take care of itself' reflects a resilient, hopeful attitude toward life's hardships.

## Key lines

> Jes lay away ole Trouble, An’ dry up all yo’ tears; Yo’ pleasure sho’ to double An’ you bound to lose yo’ keers.

Just set aside your troubles and stop crying; your enjoyment will surely increase and you will inevitably lose your worries.

_This refrain captures the poem's central message of using drink to escape sorrow._

> And never mind to-morrer, ’Twill take care of itself.

And don't worry about tomorrow; it will take care of itself.

_This line emphasizes a carpe diem philosophy, urging the reader to focus on present pleasure rather than future concerns._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_13_se/chapters/a-plantation-bacchanal
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_13_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_13_se/chapters