Serenade by Edgar Allan Poe 26/05/2014

[[deleted user]]

So sweet the hour, so calm the time,
I feel it more than half a crime,
When Nature sleeps and stars are mute,
To mar the silence ev'n with lute.
At rest on ocean's brilliant dyes
An image of Elysium lies:
Seven Pleiades entranced in Heaven,
Form in the deep another seven:
Endymion nodding from above
Sees in the sea a second love.
Within the valleys dim and brown,
And on the spectral mountain's crown,
The wearied light is dying down,
And earth, and stars, and sea, and sky
Are redolent of sleep, as I
Am redolent of thee and thine
Enthralling love, my Adeline.
But list, O list,- so soft and low
Thy lover's voice tonight shall flow,
That, scarce awake, thy soul shall deem
My words the music of a dream.
Thus, while no single sound too rude
Upon thy slumber shall intrude,
Our thoughts, our souls- O God above!
In every deed shall mingle, love

[Diane S ☔]

I was going to name my last daughter Adeline, ended up naming her Ariana instead. Wonderful poem.

[Bionic Jean]

This is so beautiful, Heather. I never knew Poe could write like this! It reminds me a little of Keats,
"My heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains
My sense, as though of hemlock I had drunk,"

Thank you so much for choosing it :)

[Dhanaraj]

"In every deed shall mingle, love"

Lovely.

[Shirley]

This is a lovely poem, Heather. I love the rhythm and the words are so well chosen.

[Leslie]

Nice choice Heather - I like Poe's poetry! Very different sensation than his short stories. I agree with Shirley that the rhythm is a strong point in this.

[B the BookAddict]

Yes, I didn't know he could write like this either. Thanks:)

[Alannah]

Don't know how I missed this but I love Poe's poetry. Great choice Heather.

[Jenny]

Heather, read this aloud for myself several times this week! Thank you! And Jean, I feel less embarrassed now for admitting I had no idea Poe wrote poetry!!

[Bionic Jean]

LOL, Jenny! All I really knew was The Raven, and I just didn't expect the lyrical feel of the poem above from the author who wrote that.

Here's a snippet. Anyone familiar with Charles Dickens's Barnaby Rudge may not realise that Grip, Barnaby's pet raven was actually the inspiration for Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem :)

[Holly]

Jean, you somehow link Dickens to everything! Not that it's a bad thing at all :)

My mum was bugging me for what I wanted for my birthday, and I've asked for the complete collection of Poe's works. My exploration of his writing is long overdue?

[Jenny]

right!! the raven!!! lol, NOW i am embarrassed!!!!

[Bionic Jean]

Tee hee Holly!
And Jenny - see, you did actually know some of Poe's poetry!

[LauraT]

Jean wrote: "LOL, Jenny! All I really knew was The Raven, and I just didn't expect the lyrical feel of the poem above from the author who wrote that.

Here's a snippet. Anyone familiar with [autho..."

Dodn't know that, even if I could have thought it

[Leslie]

Jean wrote: "LOL, Jenny! All I really knew was The Raven, and I just didn't expect the lyrical feel of the poem above from the author who wrote that..."

I like his poem The Bells which is also pretty well known. And of course, Annabel Lee...

[Bionic Jean]

Ooooh yes :)