Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Well, once more...

We could not have a National Poetry Month without including The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe. It is one of his most famous works and often studied in schools for its imagery and alliteration. Even young kids can enjoy a little scare from this poem.

During my 90's poetry kick this is one I committed to memory, for a number of reasons. I even goaded my cube-mate (we stared at each other all day) to learn it with me. We often started our day with a recitation and discussed unfamiliar words or the meaning of a stanza. The line "Respite, respite and nepenthe" has come in handy in a crossword puzzle or two.

I had forgotten that we studied this in school, until I remembered my teacher's antics. After reading a very dramatic and ominous "Nevermore" he said, "Actually, it was probably more like 'Nevermore, nevermore'" adopting a Polly Parrot voice.

Enjoy

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