It's Poe-etry Friday

My friend Lisa’s elementary schooler is flying through R.L. Stine’s "Goosebumps" series. She took her son to the National Book Festival last month, where he happily waited in line (and waited, and waited) to meet Stine.

Goosebumps didn’t exist when I grew up. Many of us fortyish and older cut our horror teeth on Edgar Allan Poe.

Poe’s been in the local news lately here in Baltimore. Apparently, Philadelphia isn’t satisfied with being World Series Champs, inventing cheese steaks and having a brand of cream cheese. They’re also claiming they have Poe's body. A scholarly battle is brewing. Look out Philadelpha. They don't call Baltimore Mob Town for nothing.

Read about Baltimore vs. those Philly body snatchers in a Poe smack down. Article at the Baltimore Examiner.

One of my favorite poems by Edgar Allan Poe is one I discovered as an adult. Spooky and sad.

Alone

From childhood's hour I have not been

As others were — I have not seen

As others saw — I could not bring

My passions from a common spring —

From the same source I have not taken

My sorrow — I could not awaken

My heart to joy at the same tone —

And all I lov'd — I lov'd alone —

Then — in my childhood — in the dawn

Of a most stormy life — was drawn

From ev'ry depth of good and ill

The mystery which binds me still —

From the torrent, or the fountain —

From the red cliff of the mountain —

From the sun that 'round me roll'd

In its autumn tint of gold —

From the lightning in the sky

As it pass'd me flying by —

From the thunder, and the storm —

And the cloud that took the form

(When the rest of Heaven was blue)

Of a demon in my view —

E. A. Poe There’s a great version of “Alone” on the CD “The Days Gone By: Songs of the American Poets.” The CD is produced by Music for Little People.

Visit the Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore for history on this poem. http://www.eapoe.org/works/poems/alonea.htm

Poe is getting his own stamp this year. Look for your gloomy postage $.42 on January 16 – Edgar Allan Poe’s 200th (and my daughter's 9th) birthday.

(Like Mr. Poe? I got him at the Unemployed Philosopher's Guild.)

Find more poems to scare yourself silly at Poetry For Children -- Sylvia is hosting the Poetry Friday Round Up. Happy Halloween!