A Little Poetry for You: Poe

It's Poetry Friday! This week, rather than find an audio of the poet reading his or her own work, I found a different way to have fun with the full experience of a good poem read aloud.




For a good dose of gloom and darkness, why not listen to Basil Rathbone reading Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven?" I assure you, you'll be glad you did.


Possibly even better, try Christopher Walken's rendition. You're bound to find it excellent, or at least laughably horrifying.

Here are the first lines, to get you in the mood.

The Raven
by Edgar Allan Poe

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 visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.

I hope you had fun with that!