Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Edgar Allan Poe's birthday


Edgar Allan Poe was born on January 19, 1809. One of my favorite poems is his Dream Wtihin a Dream, and so to celebrate Poe's birthday and his writing talents, I am sharing his words with you today.

A Dream Within a Dream
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow-
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand-
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep- while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?


[Photo: Reid State Park, Maine]

3 comments:

Silke Powers said...

I love Edgar Allan Poe and read all of his works as a young woman when I still lived in Germany! We discussed "The Tell-Tale Heart" in English class and I was hooked! Wonderful!! Love, Silke

Marsi @ The Cottage Cheese said...

This is beautiful, I have never read this poem before. Great pic of Reid State Park. I hope to see it in person one day. And have I told you lately how much I enjoy tweeting with you? I'd love to see pictures of the cozy cabins of your childhood when you get your scanner fixed. I know, I'm always pressuring you for more pics... ;)

Helen Cox said...

I love gothic literature and Poe in particular. Thank you so much for reminding me about this poem! I need to look up my hard copy asap :o)