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Of a long journey—the—indeed I had better

Follow his lordship. He must be unwell.

I will return anon.

Duke. Return anon!

Now this is very strange! Castiglione!

This way, my son, I wish to speak with thee.

You surely were mistaken in what you said

Of the Earl, mirthful, indeed!—which of us said

Politian was a melancholy man? (Exeunt.)

FANNY

First published in the Baltimore Saturday Visiter on May 18, 1833, this poem laments the death of a young love. It was originally signed only as "TAMERLANE."

THE dying swan by northern lakes

Sing's [Sings] its wild death song, sweet and clear,

And as the solemn music breaks

O'er hill and glen dissolves in air ;

Thus musical thy soft voice came,

Thus trembled on thy tongue my name.

Like sunburst through the ebon cloud,

Which veils the solemn midnight sky,

Piercing cold evening's sable shroud,

Thus came the first glance of that eye ;

But like the adamantine rock,

My spirit met and braved the shock.

Let memory the boy recall

Who laid his heart upon thy shrine,

When far away his footsteps fall,

Think that he deem'd thy charms divine ;

A victim on love's alter [altar] slain,

By witching eyes which looked disdain.

Tamerlane

SERENADE

This poem is directed at the beauty of untouched nature, as well as an unnamed lover. It was first printed in the April 20, 1833, issue of the Baltimore Saturday Visiter with the name "E. A. Poe." The poem was never collected in any of Poe's anthologies during his lifetime and was re-discovered by John C. French in 1917.

So sweet the hour, so calm the time,

I feel it more than half a crime,

When Nature sleeps and stars are mute,

To mar the silence ev'n with lute.

At rest on ocean's brilliant dyes

An image of Elysium lies:

Seven Pleiades entranced in Heaven,

Form in the deep another seven:

Endymion nodding from above

Sees in the sea a second love.

Within the valleys dim and brown,

And on the spectral mountain's crown,

The wearied light is dying down,

And earth, and stars, and sea, and sky

Are redolent of sleep, as I

Am redolent of thee and thine

Enthralling love, my Adeline.

But list, O list,- so soft and low

Thy lover's voice tonight shall flow,

That, scarce awake, thy soul shall deem

My words the music of a dream.

Thus, while no single sound too rude

Upon thy slumber shall intrude,

Our thoughts, our souls- O God above!

In every deed shall mingle, love.

TO F——S S. O——D

OR

TO ELIZABETH

Originally called "To Elizabeth," dedicated to Poe's cousin Elizabeth Herring and written in an album of hers, this poem was then published in a revised version in the September 1835 issue of the Southern Literary Messenger as "Lines Written in an Album" and apparently addressed to Eliza White. The poem in this version began, "Eliza! let they generous heart / From its present pathway part not." White was the then 18-year old daughter of Thomas Willis White, Poe's employer while he worked at the Messenger. Poe may have considered pursuing a relationship with her before his marriage to his cousin Virginia. One story suggests that Virginia's mother Maria expedited Poe's marriage to Virginia in order to prevent Poe's involvement with Eliza White. T. W. White's apprentice in old age would later say that Poe and Eliza were nothing more than friends. The poem was renamed to the ambiguous "To —" in the August 1839 issue of Burton's Gentlemen's Magazine. With minor revisions, it was finally renamed in honor of Frances Sargent Osgood and published in the 1845 collection The Raven and Other Poems. The speaker asks the addressee, "Thou wouldst be loved?" and suggest she stay on her current path to achieve that goal.

Thou wouldst be loved? — then let thy heart

From its present pathway part not!

Being everything which now thou art,

Be nothing which thou art not.

So with the world thy gentle ways,

Thy grace, thy more than beauty,

Shall be an endless theme of praise,

And love — a simple duty.

MAY QUEEN ODE

Fairies guard the Queen of May,

Let her reign in Peace