Last Call by Randall Mann

Last Call

A giant bird-
of-paradise
has climbed the bar:
in this paradise

there are no flowers,
no flowers at all.
When Happy Hour
becomes Last Call—

Adam in drag
our royalty—
we buy her gin
for eternity

(an unseen deejay
scores the years
with pulsing music
of the spheres).

Now the queen has gone,
gone again
in search of love,
in search of sin.

It’s closing time.
You were not at fault.
I drain my glass
and lick the salt.

What This Poem Is About

The poem tells a story that feels like a memory of a place once full of joy and beauty, but now empty and sad. The narrator remembers how a bright bird—called a “bird of paradise”—climbed into the bar and how the world around it lost its flowers. The title, Last Call, reminds us that this is the final moment before everything ends.

In the poem we meet two characters: Adam, who is described as “in drag” and “our royalty,” and a queen who has left in search of love or sin. These figures are symbolic. Adam may represent humanity’s first mistake, while the queen shows how people can lose their loved ones when they chase something that feels wrong.

Through these images, the poem asks us to think about what we keep and what we lose. It reminds us that even a paradise can become empty if we do not care for it or if we let our mistakes grow.

Key Literary Devices

Metaphor: The “bird of paradise” is a symbol for something beautiful and rare, but also fragile. The whole setting is described as a paradise that has lost its flowers.
Allusion: Adam may refer to the biblical Adam, hinting at the idea of a first mistake or fall from grace.
Repetition: “no flowers, no flowers at all” repeats the emptiness and emphasizes loss.
Imagery: The poem paints vivid pictures—birds climbing bars, gin for eternity, a queen searching for love. These images help us feel the sadness of the place.
Enjambment: Lines flow into one another without punctuation, creating a continuous feeling that mirrors how memories can spill over each other.
Symbolism: The “last call” is not only a bar’s closing time but also a metaphor for the final chance to change or save something.

How Each Part Helps the Main Message

The first stanza introduces the bird and the paradise, setting up the idea of beauty that will soon disappear.
The second stanza shows the loss: no flowers, a shift from Happy Hour to Last Call. It signals that joy is ending.
Adam’s line brings in the theme of mistakes or human fallibility, suggesting why the paradise might be ruined.
The unseen deejay and pulsing music remind us that memories can still play even when the place is gone.
The queen’s departure shows how love can lead to loss if it becomes a sin. It deepens the sense of sadness.
Finally, the closing lines—“It’s closing time,” “You were not at fault,” and “I drain my glass”—express acceptance that we cannot change what has happened, but we can still remember and feel the pain.

Why This Poem Is Good for Kids to Read

The poem uses simple words but powerful images. It helps children learn how a story can use symbols and repetition to show feelings. By reading it, they see that even beautiful places can become sad if we do not protect them or if we make mistakes.

How to Share This Poem

If you want to talk about loss or the importance of caring for your surroundings, this poem is a great example. You could read it aloud and then ask: “What would you do if you saw a beautiful place that was losing its flowers?” or “Who are Adam and the queen in your own story?” This encourages imagination and empathy.