The Rubaiyat of Ohow Dryyam With Apologies to Omar

This playful collection recasts the grand, melancholy poetry of Omar Khayyam for the age of Prohibition. In place of wine-filled cups and carefree taverns, it finds coffee, tea, toast, “blue laws,” and the increasingly precious promise of a hidden drink. The poems mourn vanished pleasures while poking fun at the stern reformers determined to regulate every sip.

With jaunty rhymes and mock-philosophical reflection, the speaker looks back on gilded bars, bock beer, bourbon, gin, and the unreliable charms of bootleg liquor. Familiar figures and images—Johnny Walker, the moon, Charon, the cup, and the desert—are given a distinctly American, dry-era makeover. The result is an entertaining blend of literary parody, social satire, and nostalgic barroom humor, ideal for listeners who enjoy vintage verse with a mischievous edge. Even in a thirsty world, the poems suggest, wit remains refreshingly abundant.