P is for POEtic

 The 2012 National Poetry Month poster, designed by Chin-Yee Lai.

April is national Poetry month. On April 26th, you can participate in Poem in your Pocket. Here is an unique pdf with poems for you to use on that day. Click on a pocket and you will find a poem.  It is about sharing poems throughout the day, this site list ideas. Me, I will do some guerrilla poetry on that day. I am thinking with colorful chalk writing poems in my neighborhood and leaving poems in public. I can think of a few people, who will support and help me ;D

Somerset Studios offered a challenge for their Halloween issue. A challenge to do art inspired by Edgar Allan Poe.  I had no intention of creating a Poe piece.  My daughter came home and said, they were discussing The Raven in class and watched a creepy You Tube video.   She showed me the video and I got thinking about the challenge. I read about Poe's history of losing so many loved ones, turning to alcohol for comfort, and how it instilled further torment. His first published poem was THE RAVEN. It was published in a newspaper called The EVENING MIRROR and we all are familiar with his Lost Lenore.  So, I painted a wine cork black and made Poe. Lenore as the Raven started a huge debate at my house. The college bound son thought it quirky and unique. He said "go with your artistic view."

  Daughter didn't think that was a good idea, "go with the original."   Back and forth they debated my art.  My kids loved the chess piece and Poe. My daughter admitted it was interesting and to send it off for submission.  You know I have read he wrote some really beautiful poems, but no one was interested.  They loved the mystery and macabre of his work. They didn't  want to publish the pretty.  Terrible to think a man that wrote about a raven was pigeon holed. 

 Lenore tilted on this photo, but you get the idea!  You can't tell here, but the back of Poe's face
shows up in the mirror, like an altered faded reflection. It is my favorite part, it looks like a paler, pallid Poe, perhaps his ghost.

I have read people comparing Poe to Stephen King. What do you think?  Do you have a favorite Poe poem?