Edgar Allan Poe: The Raven

It was on January 29, 1845 that 'The Raven', by Edgar Allan Poe, was published for the first time in the New York Evening Mirror. In honor of the anniversary I was going to post the poem, but then I discovered that so many actors with outstanding voices have read The Raven. So I thought why not post a reading of it instead. If you search for it at Youtube, you'll find that Christopher Walken, James Earl Jones, Christopher Lee and other have done it, but I couldn't resist the Vincent Price version. I've always loved Price's voice! Hope you enjoy it.


(Thanks to pangea7777 at Youtube for the video)

Hesitant Walk

 

We feel

our way to love-

hearts taking baby steps-

through fearful, uncertain minefield

of life

This is my first official foray into cinquain.  I only recently discovered poet Adelaide Crapsey and I'm loving her poetry, as well as the form.

I Carry Your Heart With Me

 

(e.e. cummings)

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
                                  i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than the soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

[When I'm going to be away for awhile, I post a few of my favorite poems in advance.  I only recently started reading e.e. cummings' poetry.  This is one of my favorites so far. ]

My Heart's Always Ready

 

My heart's always ready

when you come home

They ask-

Aren't you lonely?

but I'm never alone

My heart's always ready

Please don't ever doubt

My love is a pillar

you won't be without

When you're trapped by the world,

ensnared in her web,

battered and damaged

by unkind words said,

There's one place

you'll always be safe from the storm,

where human inhumanity

can do you no harm

My heart's always ready,

my arms ever wide,

the hearth always warm

when you come inside

So go where you must

on adventure's wide sea,

knowing your voyage

won't take you from me

Killer Thoughts

 

 Life bleeds out

a river of red

heartbeat silenced

demons fed

From cold darkness

the killer came

knife blade sharpened

soul black-stained

Heart unhampered

by mercy's grace,

he took the life

that filled her face

He watched it drain

with loving eyes,

this essence

that he so despised

As drop-by-drop

it touched the floor, 

his anger calmed,

his thirst no more

Her body lay

in peaceful pose

as he placed

a single rose

Filled with content,

his hunger tamed,

he crept away

to hunt fresh game

Title Track

(Crowe,Cochran)

I can't tell, if I want to know,
What's on your mind,
Should I just go.
It's a long way down from here
I better start with the stairs
It's a long way down from here

You know there's other ways of speaking
Words are just the deep end
I'm not good at keeping secrets from you

But I can't tell, if I want to know,
What”s on your mind,
Should I just go.
It's a long way down from here
I better start with the stairs,
It's a long way down from here

You know there's other ways of speaking,
I can read you when you're sleeping
I can feel you when you're breathing
And breaking in two

But I can't tell, if I want to know
What's on your mind
Should I just go.
It's a long way down from here,
I better start with the stairs
It's a long way down from here

You know there's other ways of speaking
Words are just the deep end
I’m not good at keeping your secrets from you


I found myself suffering one of my typical bouts with insomnia and listening to music when I realized I had never put up the lyrics to Other Ways Of Speaking at this blog which owes it's name to the song, it's Title Track so to speak.  Unforgivable of me.  It's one of my favorite songs (and it's title track as well) off the 2003 CD by Russell Crowe & Thirty Odd Foot of Grunts.  And if you've never heard Russell sing it, you can go to my other blog, Leaves of Russell Crowe and listen here.

Homeless

 

Day by day 

their pitying stares,

disdainful glares

and aloof avoidance

tear away

another piece 

of his skeletal soul-

withering,

wasting away

in the concrete desert

he once thought of as home.

They throw food 

and coins

his way,

yet none offer

what he craves most-

a warm smile

a bit of conversation

a hug-

nourishment for the soul.

Inevitable Road

 

Georgia's frigid winter rain

falling down upon my head,

it's cold overwhelmed

by my heart's silent dread

You made a promise you'd be home

by January's cold last light

That was hours ago

Still, you're nowhere in sight

We smiled and waved as you left

late night December 28th

We knew you'd be back

We took it on faith

It's part of life with you,

all the coming and going,

but it's not always easy

to love you not knowing

You follow the road

wherever it leads,

while we're left behind

with all of our needs

It's enough just to know

you're out there somewhere,

and thinking of us,

to know that you care

So we keep our vigil

We hold down the fort

We wait patiently

'til your ship comes to port

The choice was made for us

an aeon ago,

but we'd make no other

knowing all that we know

So our candle burns

as we patiently wait

'til the curve in your road

brings you back to our gate