The Height of the Ridiculous

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Ridiculous means 'too funny to believe' or extremely amusing to the point of being absurd. In the poem, it refers to the poet's lines that were so funny they caused an extreme reaction in the servant.

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Oliver Wendell Holmes (1809-1894), an American physician, poet, and author who was known for his wit and humor in writing.

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The poet wrote the lines in a 'wondrous merry mood', meaning he was in a delightful, cheerful, and happy state of mind when he composed them.

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Wondrous means delightful, marvelous, or inspiring wonder and admiration. It describes the poet's joyful and creative mood.

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The poet describes himself as a 'slender man' (thin, delicate) while his servant is described as having 'mighty limb' (strong, muscular, powerful build). This creates a physical contrast between the t…

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Albeit means 'though' or 'although'. It's used to introduce a contrasting statement. In the poem, it shows that despite finding his lines very funny, the poet is generally a serious person.

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A sober man means a serious, clear-headed, and responsible person who is not given to frivolity or excessive behavior. The poet says he is generally serious despite writing funny lines.

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The poet jokingly said 'There'll be the devil to pay' when giving his funny lines to the servant to take to the printer. This was meant as a small, simple joke of no importance.