Transport yourself to the last days of Edgar Allan Poe, the famed writer and poet, in the book's featured poem, The Raven Redux. Also, enjoy reading Poe's final and incomplete story, along with original poems and a zombie-origin story by Alexander B...
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I am possessed by the spirit of Poe He writes the poems I could never write Like a raven on a dreary midnight Everywhere I go, he quoth, "Nevermore." More than ever there's a fright Coming from the man, the man in the mirror Where I stare, staring back at me Filling my soul with a fantastic terror An ancient raven tightly clutches my left shoulder His razor sharp claws dig deep, cutting far into supple flesh With aching pain, my body releases a powerful shudder He whispers quietly in my ear Suddenly I'm in absolute fear A facial expression of complete shock and horror Holding my chest, panting heavily, dropping to my knees Awestruck, not sure what to do, I want to flee Breathing hard, running low on air The chamber room goes cold, growing faint and small A pounding thud behind my breast bone The raven tells me to stand straight, mighty and tall.
Without the raven I would be weak, weary and alone For the Adam of the Fall is me, myself and I And my beautiful Eve is dying a long, painful death A gorgeous creature of the night — a terrible night indeed Poisoned by a drunken shaky hand A morbid thought born in a wicked, delirious mind A deranged mad man, he was once me, now long gone Murderous thoughts drove me over the frightful edge She was hanging with both hands from a perilous ledge She grips for dear life, wanting life again, no hope in her eyes Fainting and fated by the husband she once loved She was drooling and foaming from her mouth — a gruesome sight She once trusted me ever so completely Without question, without a peep Now — she lets go and the black abyss swallows her whole Like a deep dark cave, a hole in the ground, opened for her alone.
The raven flies above, watching me far below Murmuring with a cruck and a croak, calling with a deep snicker He is watching my every move A frightful madness ensues Watching my torturous groove Sporadic steps and the most horrible gestures Everywhere I go, I mutter and murmur, "Nevermore." A taste of evil stings my tongue and my weathered lips My brilliant mind left the safety of the harbor long ago Cast sail on stormy waters in a tattered and battered ship On open sea, where I tried to flee, I pondered my miserable life With my hand I laid ink down in a secret manuscript Hidden from the public's prying eyes who would tell terrible lies A treasure lost to the turbulent flow of time, speaking of my crime I watched the light of the lighthouse in the distance fade away I jumped overboard into the sea, swam ashore to live another day.
Haunted by what I did, a wretched self I surely am I stammered and stumbled upon the streets of Baltimore Going from shop to shop and door to chamber door I was desolate and desperate as an evil spirit caused me to flee The spirits I drank were a tempest that tempted me Pouring themselves down my throat, I pled for a moment to be To be alone, to rid myself of the raven, which followed me everywhere The sooty bird would chant his chants and torture me with his sounds Like a rascal rapping his rap on window sills Torment my soul only to get a cheap thrill I felt the dreadful dread from the moment I put pen to paper Writing the words that would define a legacy The lore of a mad man who was a wizard with words People thought I lost my sanity, always hearing the raven's inner cry He never left my side, even if I would try to hide, he followed me Wherever I went I was never alone, there was no more privacy The raven consumed me with every fiber and feather Now I go hither, back to the underworld where I belong "I am Nevermore!"
