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November 16, 2007
“We’re Taking this Back, Way Back, Nineteenth Century Style:” Poetry Friday
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
“‘Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
This it is, and nothing more.”
-From “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe
Ah, yes, one of my favorite poems from when I was a small child. I offer it to you in honor of the trip I’m taking to Baltimore this weekend, where, I hope, I might see good old E.A.P.’s gravesite. It seems appropriate.
And just in case you’re wondering, the stanza I’ve quoted above is the best one in the poem. I studied literature in college, so I can tell you that this is a fact derived from scientific studies performed by literary researchers using high-tech bestology equipment. It has something to do with using the word “purple” in a description of a feeling everyone has had at some point in their lives. Sadly for our narrator, it isn’t all in his head. OR IS IT? Yeah, I’m not going to debate that one. Honestly, I don’t care. I love this poem because the meter and rhyme and strong images combine to create and sustain a wonderfully dark, questioning mood. Everyone makes fun of this poem, but read it aloud. It has power. Rock on, E.A.P.
[Kelly's doing the roundup over at Big A little a today. Check it!]
Posted by adrienne at November 16, 2007 12:05 AM
Comments
Love the title of this post. I can actually see you as a radio DJ. WATAT makes a great radio show hook, too, don't you think?
Poe does have power, indeed.
Posted by: Sara at November 16, 2007 08:33 AM
I'm not sure I'm quick enough on my feet to be a DJ, although it has always seemed like a cool job. I did steal that title from a song, "Mr. Raven" by MC Lars. You can listen to it on his MySpace:
http://www.myspace.com/mclars
The lyrics are fun if you're a fan of Poe. MC Lars also has a really fun song about Moby Dick. It starts something like, "Hey Ishmael, can I call you annoying?" For some reason, that cracks me up.
Posted by: adrienne at November 16, 2007 09:37 AM
You should totally give me a call when you are in Bmore!! I'd love to say hi!
Posted by: Margaret at November 16, 2007 09:44 AM
Hey, DJ! I do LOVE that stanza. And I agree with you. Though "The Raven" is often overdone, it continues to have power through the ages. Have fun in Baltimore (be sure to wear black)!
Posted by: Jama Rattigan at November 16, 2007 11:43 AM
I'd like to see his gravesite as well. In my desk drawer, in my ideas file, is an article I printed in January about the mystery visitor known as the Poe toaster who comes to Poe's grave on Poe's birthday and leaves three red roses and a half-empty bottle of cognac at the grave. There's something evocative and wonderful and weird about it, which seems only fitting, given the nature of the corpse.
Posted by: Kelly Fineman at November 16, 2007 12:35 PM
When I was a freshman in college, my roommate said that I sat up in my bed and started quoting this poem one night. She said I said something about shadows across the floor and someone tap, tapping at our chamber door and then yelled "Nevermore!" It freaked me out to hear that the next day, but I just suppose that says a lot about our brains, 'cause I had had to memorize the poem in 8th grade.
Posted by: Jules at November 16, 2007 04:44 PM
I agree with you that the use of purple was great. Some colours- like red, black, and green- are so overused in poetry but I think purple still holds some value. You made me think back to Mary O'Neill's "Hailstones and Halibut Bones" and how wonderfully she explores all the colours- including the feelings they represent/conjure.
Posted by: John Mutford at November 17, 2007 09:05 AM
You know how i feel about Poe and this poem. Great pick.
Posted by: tonderdo at November 28, 2007 08:22 PM