Monday 8 October 2012

Poems I love (5)

Last night we watched the movie "The Raven" staring John Cusack. Apart from the the poem of the title I've never read any works by Edgar Allan Poe; although I intend to now. The movie focuses on the end of Poe's life - which was shrouded in mystery. It is a good well made, well acted movie.

'The Raven' is another of my favourite poems (and part of it is read beautifully in the movie).

I limited myself to shouting 'nevermore' at every raven.

At 18 stanzas I've not yet memorized the whole poem but I love to read it, the rhythm, the rhyme and the story.The first stanza is reproduced below; you can read the whole poem here along with some literary information.
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore —
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visiter," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door —
            Only this and nothing more."
So we finish - quoth the Raven "Nevermore".