Nevermore
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Nevermore
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This
poem is the result of a writing challenge that required the writer to compose a
story or poem explaining where vampires originated. In addition we were required
to use one or more lines from Edger Allen Poe’s classic,
“The Raven,” in our poem or story.
I have long admired Poe’s style and thus attempted to write a poem
mimicking his form. The lines that
were copied directly from “The Raven” are in italics. Never Sunlight - Nevermore
By Bob BlackmanCopyright © 2007
Curse-ed
misery dying ember, misery of a bleak December, I,
the son of Adam weighing, watching parents aging graying. “Father
thou art getting older, and your life blood’s growing colder. “Why
doth not that god you worship intervene and make you stronger. “Why
doth god not intervene, why doth he not your health restore? ”Why
doth he not increase your vigor, Can he not your health restore? “Ere
you’re gone for evermore.” “Tis
the curse,” said he, “of death, that will someday steal our breath, “Before
there ever was a garden, was a tree immortal old “Life
blood flowed from every branch, that we might never age or die. “Ate
we freely of the blood fruit, ate so death we could ignore. “Death
and sickness could not touch us, grief and sorrow could ignore. “Truly
live for evermore.” “First
your mother was deceived, then it was that I received, “Received
the guilt by guile agreement, of her sin I freely shared. “God
in anger, cast us out, barred us from the tree immortal “Cast
us out and set a cherub, to secure and guard the door “Nevermore to let us enter, never let us through the door “Death
would reign for evermore.” Still
my father lingered spry, still he aged, refused to die. But
my lovely daughter playing, laughing, singing, running, swaying While
chasing butterflies did tumble, fell upon an adder’s nest. Viper
bit and viper killed her, killed my daughter, sweet Lenore
Died
the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore - Gone
to ashes, evermore. As
I sat and mourned her dying, all alone in sorrow crying. Came
this ebony bird beguiling, sidled up, he was not smiling, By
the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, “Tis
too bad about your daughter, dead and gone to live no more “Still,
you can end this deadly curse, make death cease an be no more “End
of death for evermore.” Much
I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, Eagerly
he breathed a chortle, said, “I can give you life immortal.” “Tell
me now,” I gravely pleaded, “Tell me how to end this curse. “Anything
that you might ask for, I will give it for Lenore. “Give
it now in sweet remembrance, tribute to my child Lenore “Give
it now for evermore.” “Life
is in the blood,” he cawed. “Through the blood is life bestowed “Drink
it from a living being, eternal life I’m guaranteeing. “Drink
it from your brother Able, do it now for life immortal.” Retched
raven, I implore, “Art thou a demon wicked sore? “Bird
or beast, ghastly grim, thou hath vexed me vexed me sore. “Evil
thou art evermore.” “Prophet!”
said
it, “Good or evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! – “Well I know your meager heart, son of perdition I know thou art “Little
do you love your brother, even less your god of death “You
will do the thing I asked for, do it to avenge Lenore.” Killed
I then my younger brother, left him dead upon the moor Drank
his lifeblood sweet and warm, drank it all and longed for more Thirst
for blood for evermore. Now
upon a noonday dreary, still I ponder weak and weary, Is
there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!' Oh
that I might feel the sunlight, sunlight loved by sweet Lenore. Ever
playing in the sunlight chasing birds on heaven’s shore Ghastly
grim I’m cursed to wandering only on nightly shore - Never
sunlight - nevermore. end |