I am not a poetry person per se, but I can appreciate them when they come across my path. Edgar Allen Poe’s The Raven and Annabel Lee have been elusive, but I have finally laid eyes upon the masterpieces and found them compelling, enchanting, and so profoundly lyrical they sing from the pages on which they were printed.

The Raven is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in 1845. The poem is often noted for its musicality, stylised language and supernatural atmosphere. It tells of a distraught lover who is paid a visit by a mysterious raven that repeatedly speaks a single word. The lover, often identified as a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. The raven seems to further antagonise the protagonist with its repetition of the word “nevermore”.

As soon as you start The Raven, you fall into this cadance as you read, or perhaps you are drawn to saying it aloud, that transports you into the poem itself. You get immersed in the setting, the tone engulfing you as the characters establish themselves, and the narrative is tragic and dark yet beautiful and almost carrying a gothic whimsiness to it. The alliteration and rhyming mechanisms are witty and smooth, creating a tempo that is never boring, and an experience that feels mesmerising to read and listen to. The lyricism and recurring images, motifs, and component to the narrative don’t feel repetitive, instead, the work to add tension and weight to the poem through the tone, emotion, and lyricism of the piece. It is hauntingly beautiful, and my favourite of the two. There is something so simple yet effective about The Raven, and I don’t know how I hadn’t come across the full poem sooner. A stellar poem that is a must-read for all you gothic, dramatic, and horror-inclined readers out there.

Then, of course, I couldn’t be done with just The Raven. Annabel Lee is equally as well know by the sounds of it, and for good reason. Written in 1849, Annabel Lee is the last complete poem composed by Edgar Allan Poe, and was published posthumously shortly after his death. Like many of his poems, it explores the theme of the death of a beautiful woman. The narrator, who fell in love with Annabel Lee when they were young, has a love for her so strong that even angels are envious, and he retains his love for her after her death. Annabel Lee is shorter than The Raven, but feels no less immersive, shrouded in that gothic romance feel that is chillingly enchanting and harrowingly sweet. The alliteration and rhyming tempo is similar to the flow of The Raven, but it is shorter in verse and line length, making for a more concise read. The word choice is fantastic, not only helping to carry the mood throughout the piece, it also in painting such a vivid emotional portrayal of their relationship. It is heartbreaking to read, making it stand out and serve as an exemplary poem for study.

I will slowly but surely read more of his poems, for the gothic feel and stunning musicality makes for such fun, enlightening, and thought-provoking reading. I didn’t know if I would be such a fan given the classic roots of Edgar Allen Poe’s writing and the fact it is in poetic verse, but I have been delightfully surprised. If you haven’t read any of Edgar Allen Poe’s works, I highly recommend giving The Raven and Annabel Lee a read. They are short, but incredibly powerful, and serve to show what is possible with poetry and poetic verse. If you have any suggestions or recommendations as to other poets with unique and impressive verse styles, please let me know!