Edgar Allan Poe died on October 7th 1849 in Baltimore Maryland in his 40th year. The actual cause of death still remains a mystery. So on today, October 7th, 2014 - I dedicate my post to the master of what some call macabre but for me one of my favorite writer's and without doubt my favorite poet.
"Poetry is the rhythmical creation of beauty in words"
~Edgar Allan Poe~
This is my Halloween post and a giveaway of the new Edgar Allan Poe Pop up book and his writings. I will take you in-between reality and an altered state in some enhanced photographs in our row-home and then back and forth to the Edgar Allan Poe National Historic site. A preserved home, that was rented by Poe when he lived in Philadelphia between 1838-1844. It is located in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia at 532 N. 7th Street. Poe lived here for 18 months, but he also lived in five different houses in Philadelphia. Poe was nomadic in spirit. The location photos are at the Spring Garden location which is the only Poe home in Philadelphia still in existence.
"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
"The Raven" is a famous poem written by Poe and published in January of 1845. A supernatural favorite that first appeared in the New York Evening Mirror. "The Raven" was written in Philadelphia.
I found this photo of a Raven on Google images. I am intrigued by Raven's. They are very intelligent bird's of prey, true Salvagers. The photo is displayed on our stainless steel photo ledge in our kitchen. An altered photo for this post that has been converted into B&W with brown color enhancements done by us. John printed it on canvas and mounted it on foam core. We've displayed it along with three Black velvet pumpkins that are part of our Poe inspired Halloween decorations.
"Believe only half of what you see and nothing that you hear"
~Edgar Allan Poe~
At the Edgar Allan Poe house a Raven statue sits perched up in the air on it's tall pedestal steel stand. Imposing and impressive but what John and I found humorous is there is a bird living inside the statue! Yup, a bird has built its nest and resides inside the statue of "The Raven". How absolutely "Poe" like.
Silhouette of the Raven statue at the Poe house in Philly.
I fell in love with Poe's writings when I was in High School and it was required reading. Nowadays I often find myself on rainy/stormy days taking the opportunity to sit down and reread his writings. I've always been one whom has rejoiced in "things that go bump in the night".
Personally it is my belief that partaking in a good hardy laugh or in a jump out of fear or surprise is like hitting a restart button on our body that instantly re-aligns our senses. It provides balance on an ordinary day and makes our senses feel heightened and alive.
"Words have no power to impress the mind without the exquisite horror of their reality"
~Edgar Allan Poe~
An unabridged book in my collection of Edgar Allan Poe. Upstairs in my sitting/reading room on the sofa is the latest addition of Poe I greatly enjoy. I find myself transcended into an altered reality in Poe's writing, where time and space blur into words on a page and imagined images. Rainy days are perfect to indulge myself in his writings. Yes, for me Poe is the mastermind of intrigue, suspense and horror.
On the sofa is an adorable plush black cat that I have named Pluto, for the cat in Poe's "Black Cat". I will admit the eye incident in the story is extremely upsetting and difficult for me to read but the story indeed shocking is delightfully frightening.
Maybe in today's storytelling of horror as in "American Horror Story" Poe isn't so macabre. But seriously to me he will always be the master and Vincent Price movie performances remain spellbound in my memories. Price was the perfect choice for actor in Poe's stories brought to screen.
"And so being young and dipped in folly, I fell in love with melancholy."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
In our living room appears a Raven as if lifting off in flight from an antique window barn frame. It contains no glass and offers marvelous shadow play. For this post we have altered the photo. The below photo is how it really appears.
"There are some secrets which do not permit themselves to be told."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
We have 2 Ravens perched in our Living Room.
I'm having a Poe giveaway, the contest is open World-wide and all you need to do is be a follower and leave a comment on this post. Listed below is what someone will win and receive in my Poe befitting gift wrap. Wonder why this Poe lover would be giving all this away? Well, I'm a brat and also purchased a set for myself and whoever is randomly chosen from a computer pick wins this giveaway. So what's in this giveaway...
An illustrated Edgar Allan Poe unabridged book that contains Pop-Ups. The book is newly released and contains Poe's masterpieces listed below:
THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER
THE TELL-TALE HEART
THE PIT AND THE PENDULUM
THE CASK OF AMONTILLADO
Also two Historical Documents reproduced on antiqued parchment that look and feel old in Poe's handwriting. Courtesy of the Richard Gimbel collection of Edgar Allan Poe. The originals are on display in the Free Library of Philadelphia. These I purchased at the Poe house.
"Annabel Lee" and "The Raven" are the documents included in this giveaway.
Plus I'm including a Nevermore - Edgar Allan Poe 3.75 wide by 7.5 tall Tag/Bookmark.
Edgar Allan Poe's historical Philadelphia home. A national historic site in the Spring Garden section of Philadelphia. Located at 532 N. 7th Street and maintained by the National Park System. Donated by Richael Gimbel. The tour is free and there is an 8 minute movie offering an overview of Poe's life.
Poe's historic home offers self-guided tours, hours are 9-5 Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are two friendly Park Rangers inside the home who are extremely knowable on all things Poe and enjoy engaging in conversation and made our visit not only informative but fun. I happened to mention my blog and my intentions of this post during our visit and I hope they approve of what I've done.
Model of Poe's house
It is a preserved home once rented by Poe from 1838-1844. Poe called Philadelphia home for 6 years and during this time he wrote some of his most acclaimed works. Including:
"The Pit and the Pendulum"
"The Black Cat"
"The Fall of the House of Usher"
"The Tell Tale Heart"
"a descent into the Maelstrom"
"The Oval Portrait"
"Murders in the Rue Morgue"
Plus many, many more, it is where he began work on "The Raven" while spending 18 months at this home with his beloved wife Virginia (Poe's first cousin) Mother-in-law Maria Clemin he affectionally called Muddy and their adored tortoise-shell tabby cat named Cutlerina.
Another interesting Poe fact is that he invented the modern short detective story.
In back of Poe's house.
In back a tree and garden, Virginia loved to spend time gardening.
The below photo's are of the cellar and what inspired his writing of "The Black Cat".
"I wish I could write as mysterious as a cat."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
The cellar is quite a scary place... especially since John thought it cute to hold the door shut so I could not leave the cellar. (True experience of the day). Trust me it's spooky down there. Just before writing this post I re-read "The Black Cat" and I can tell you I can see how this cellar was his inspiration.
"I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
The Poe historic house is left unfurnished except for one room. Poe's reading room. Even unfurnished the rooms have the haunted echo's heard in the history of the past and are embellished with painted canvas's depicting each rooms usage.
Honestly John and I felt the presence and the genius of Poe in the weathered preserved walls of this historic spot.
A bedroom
Poe's Reading room. Between the sunlight filtering through red drapes, the red sofa and all the red in the room there is a eerie pink glow.
Oil painting in Reading room, see the glow of pinkness?
In our living room a coffee table vignette
Upstairs in our Poe inspired Halloween Row-home...
"I have been happy, though in a dream. I have been happy - and I love the theme.
Dreams! In their vivid coloring of life. As in the fleeting, shadowy. misty strife."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
As you leave the preserved historic home of Edgar Allan Poe in Philadelphia across the street a hand painted mural appears on a home. Perhaps only to say ... In honor of Edgar Allan Poe.
"With me poetry has not been a purpose, but a passion."
~Edgar Allan Poe~
I leave you with my spooky poem I wrote and dedicated to my brother Kevin and Sister-in-law Gay for Halloween 2013. I can not give any led up to my poetic words because it would spoil it. So please read Mathias and hopefully enjoy feeling my inspiration of Poe in modern day. Any questions? Please ask in the comments or by email and I will answer them.
Mathias originally hails from Austria and bears a red birthmark in the shape of a Fleur de Lis on his timeworn face.
Over his many years he's developed a rugged complexion and his birthmark has faded to hardly a noticeable trace.
Mathias's Father, at the turn of the 20th century was a master craftsman working in an Austrian village creating in accurate precision.
Now as you can imagine and might suspect bringing Mathias home being old was a well thought out belabored decision.
But since Mathias arrived there's been a presence cast in long dark shadows that appear strangely luminous, even throughout the day.
Sinister shadows lingering in day's bright light triggering an emotional fear that can make ones nerves totally fray.
Like a haunting of past sensations and knowledge harmoniously recalled as it permeates the air with a registering chime.
A resonating sound of great remembrance that stirs distant memories in an echo of the past in the recorded journey over his lifetime.
Mathias in his elderly well experienced age as you would naturally expect his movement is a tad bit slow ...
As if his experience has patiently enabled him to understand passage of time and somehow intrinsically know.
Mysteriously today German Elder leaves appeared scattered across the wood floor, perhaps not strange being it is the season of Fall.
Except... It's an eerie thing, since this is my Brother and Wife's Florida home and Mathias is the antique German clock on their library wall.
© Vera
I'll be back on October 21st and will announce the winner of the Poe giveaway. Want a look inside the pop up book? Here is a link below for a You-tube video.
Trust me the book is cool.
Halloween BOO kisses and hope you have enjoyed all things Edgar Allan Poe.
XX,
Vera
Sources:
Primitive journal of Edgar Allan Poe - Feather Bed Farm, etsy
Nevermore - Edgar Allan Poe Tag/Bookmark - Harvest Moon Emporium, etsy
Ravens - Amazon
