Sunday, January 20, 2008

Tribute to Poe

Hymn
by Edgar Allan Poe


Sancta Maria! turn thine eyes
Upon the sinner's sacrifice
Of fervent prayer and humble love,
From thy holy throne above.

At morn, at noon, at twilight dim
Maria! thou hast heard my hymn.
In joy and wo, in good and ill
Mother of God! be with us still.

When my hours flew gently by,
And no storms were in the sky,
My soul, lest it should truant be —
Thy love did guide to thine and thee.

Now, when clouds of Fate o'ercast
All my Present, and my Past,
Let my Future radiant shine
With sweet hopes of thee and thine.


-The End-



[This version of the poem was part of the manuscript of the tale "Morella." The poem, recited as a song by Morella, is addressed to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.]


Catholic Hymn
by Edgar Allan Poe


AT morn — at noon — at twilight dim —
Maria! thou hast heard my hymn!
In joy and wo — in good and ill —
Mother of God, be with me still!
When the Hours flew brightly by
And not a cloud obscured the sky,
My soul, lest it should truant be,
Thy grace did guide to thine and thee;
Now, when storms of Fate o'ercast
Darkly my Present and my Past,
Let my Future radiant shine
With sweet hopes of thee and thine!


-The End-
(This poem was originally part of the tale "Morella," but was removed from later versions. In the copy of The Raven and Other Poems he gave to Sarah H. Whitman, Poe struck out the word "Catholic." The poem is addressed to the Virgin Mary, the mother of Jesus.)

Rest in peace.

1 comment:

Lily said...

This tickled my funny bone because my son shares a birthday with EAP. All day his sister taunted him with, "Today we celebrate the birth of a great man who made very important contributions to (pause for drama) the world of literature, Edgar Allen Poe" LOL My poor son was teased by her all day!

Poe, a very sad life story indeed.