Dark Heart of Poe

Happy New Year! We agree with our friends at The Virtual Poe Toaster that reading more Poe is a good resolution for the new year!

May this Christmas Eve find you blessed with holiday spirit! Should you require a bit more urging into the yuletide mood, below, for your enjoyment, is a parody... of The Raven involving sentient plum pudding, first published in "Tit-Bits" on December 23, 1882. Listen, all ! I tell what happened on the night of Christmas Day, After I'd been eating pudding in a very reckless way. Just as Christmas Day was dying, as I on my bed was lying, When to slumber I was trying, when I'd just begun to snore, I became aware of something rolling on my chamber floor Of a most mysterious rumbling, rolling on my chamber floor. Only this and nothing more! Partly waking, partly sleeping, all my flesh with horror creeping, I could hear it tumbling, leaping, rolling on my chamber floor; Underneath the bedclothes sinking, I betook myself to thinking If it might not be a kitten that had entered at the door; 'Yes,' said I, 'it is a kitten, entered at the open door. This it is and nothing more.' Presently my heart grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, 'Cat,' said I, 'or kitten, kindly stop that rolling on the floor.' But it was most irritating, for the sound was unabating. On my nerves for ever grating was the rolling on the floor; Till at last I cried in anguish, 'Stop that rolling I implore;' And a voice said, 'Nevermore.' This convinced me of my error, up I rose in greatest terror, Certain that 'twas not a kitten that had spoken just before; Then into the darkness peering, shivering, wondering, doubting, fearing, I could dimly see a pudding rolling on my chamber floor; I could see a big plum pudding rolling on my chamber floor; May I see it nevermore! From its mouth a vapour steaming, while its fiery eyes were gleaming, Gleaming fiercely bright, and seeming fixedly to scan me o'er; Soon it rolled and rumbled nearer, and its aim becoming clearer, I could see that it intended jumping higher than the floor; Yes, it jumped upon my chest, and when in pain I gave a roar, All it said was, 'Nevermore.' Though my back was nearly broken, this reply so strangely spoken. Seemed to me to be a token that it wished for something more; So my thoughts in words expressing, I began my sins confessing, Saying I had eaten pudding many a time in days of yore, But although I'd eaten pudding many a time in days of yore, I would eat it nevermore. Still in spite of my confessing, that plum pudding kept on pressing, Pressing with its weight tremendous ever on my bosom's core. Till I cried, 'O, monster mighty, in my work I'm often flighty. But, if you will now forgive me, I'll work hard at classic lore!' At the end of this vacation I'll work hard at classic lore, Quoth the pudding 'Nevermore.' ' Be that word our sign of parting, pudding!' then I shrieked, upstarting, ' Get thee back get off my stomach, roll again upon the floor!' Thus I struggled, loudly screaming, till I found I had been dreaming. Dreaming like a famous poet once had dreamt in days of yore; But although 'twas like the poet's dream he dreamt in days of yore. May I dream it nevermore!" Thank you to the World of Poe Blog for furnishing this yuletide parody poem. Image credit: Edgar Allan Poe: Evermore

Happy Friday the 13th www.iClassicsCollection.com

Happy Halloween! Don’t party too hard and follow someone offering you amontillado into the catacombs! #darkheartofpoe #edgarallanpoe #adhasselbring #thecaskofamontillado #halloween #masquerade

E.A. Poe Jan 19, 1809 - Oct 7, 1849. In pace requiescat. Today we raise a glass to Mr. Poe, the Master of the Macabre, in honor of the day of his passing. His words will live on forevermore. #darkheartofpoe #edgarallanpoe #adhasselbring

A beautiful, enigmatic shot of actress Allison Chase Williams as Lenore in our 2016 production of Dark Heart of Poe captured by the immensely talented photographer Carrie Ann Frances! #darkheartofpoe #edgarallanpoe #adhasselbring #cafrancesphotography #photography

Who knows this Ray Bradbury short story? It is our favorite! Celebrating the 100th birthday of author Ray Bradbury. #usherII #themartianchronicles #raybradbury #edgarallanpoe #darkheartofpoe #adhasselbring

Today we celebrate the birth date of Virginia Clemm Poe, wife of Edgar Allan Poe, born August 15, 1822. Our 2016 production of Dark Heart of Poe included the character Lenore who was inspired by Virginia Clemm Poe. #darkheartofpoe #virginiaclemmpoe #edgarallanpoe #adhasselbring

Happy #bookloversday! Here are a few of the books we love! #darkheartofpoe #edgarallanpoe #adhasselbring