Thursday, April 19, 2012

Poetry Pairing: Annabel Lee

Edgar Allan Poe is the first poet I discovered during my elementary school years. I purchased a small book of his poems from the Scholastic book fair held in the library and fell in love, most especially with "Annabel Lee." Who wouldn't want to be loved "with a love that was more than love"? (Oh, I now feel sorry for all my pre-teen and teen loves!) All these years later, this poem still enchants me.

I recently downloaded Stevie Nicks' new album "In Your Dreams" and after the first song I was hooked. After hearing "Annabel Lee" in the lucky number 7 slot, I fell hard. Perfect voice to sing this haunting tale. Listen for yourself:




I was even more thrilled to come across Yusef Komunyakaa's essay on his first love, this very poem by Edgar Allan Poe. He writes: "At nine years old, I knew next to nothing about this kind of love, although I had been lightly touched by an element of it in the blues that drifted out of the radios in our kitchen and living room. To know this great longing through words made me tremble inside my skin, and I believe it helped me traverse some new territory in my imagination."

What poem or story was your first love?
Posted by Andrea (Andee) Beltran at 8:09 AM
Labels: , , ,

10 comments:

  1. UnknownApril 19, 2012 at 10:28:00 AM PDT

    Great post and great pieces! Yusef Komuyakaa is a great writer, and so is Edgar Allen Poe. I'm interested to see the movie about him, though I'm not sure it will do anything of his justice. :/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrea (Andee) BeltranApril 20, 2012 at 6:23:00 PM PDT

      Thanks, Ashley. I am interested to see it too. I'm a big John Cusack fan. :)

      Delete
  2. Hannah StephensonApril 19, 2012 at 12:24:00 PM PDT

    Wow, Komunakaa's quote gets it just right.

    Pablo Neruda and Robert Creeley....lots of swoony beauty.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrea (Andee) BeltranApril 20, 2012 at 6:24:00 PM PDT

      Yes, lots of swoony beauty. I had to reread Creeley's "The Language" because of your comment. Aaahhh.

      Delete
  3. Nin AndrewsApril 19, 2012 at 3:24:00 PM PDT

    I wonder if it's almost a lot of people's first love! I named my pony after it--Annabel. A spotted pony, and my dad called the woods behind our house, Usher Woods . . .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrea (Andee) BeltranApril 20, 2012 at 6:25:00 PM PDT

      I agree with you, Nin! Although I think you have most beat! I love your story and can't say thanks enough for sharing.

      Delete
  4. Gina GaoApril 20, 2012 at 9:41:00 PM PDT

    This is a great post! I have long been a fan of Edger Allen Poe's work. The video was great.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  5. Caren E. SalasMay 2, 2012 at 9:04:00 PM PDT

    Love Poe! I introduced him to my kids and my girls (not as much the boys, go figure) loved all the gruesome poems. Should I be worried? haha.
    As for me, I think the first book I was in love with was "The Once and Future King" I read it in the fifth grade and was obsessed with the whole King Arthur and Camelot idea. I wished I could jump right into the book and be part of the story!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Andrea (Andee) BeltranMay 3, 2012 at 8:16:00 AM PDT

      I think more females love Poe. The rawness seems to capture us at a young age!

      Thanks for sharing your first love, Caren!

      Delete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)