My favourite poem of all time is the uber gothic & uber awesome ‘The Raven’ by Edgar Allen Poe. Why? because it’s awesome! It’s a narrative style poem published in January 1845, noted for it’s musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven’s mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing the man’s slow fall into madness. The lover, possibly a student, is lamenting the death of his lover Lenore. After the raven raps at the man’s door and then his window, it is let in and perches on a bust of Pallas. To the questions that the man puts to it, the raven only answers ‘Nevermore”.
The raven has long been considered a bird of ill omen and of interest to creators of myths and legends. The lover puts questions about whether the raven was sent to him as a sign by god or angels to forget Lenore, if the raven is evil or a prophet, whether he will be reunited with Lenore in heaven and finally comes to the conclusion that his soul is trapped beneath the raven’s shadow and shall be lifted “Nevermore”. Please play the video below which is a narration of The Raven by Sir Christopher Lee.
And watch a recording off a tv of the Simpson’s Halloween special on The Raven. Narration here is by James Earl Jones.