Sometimes it’s the little things that count… January 29, 2010

It was bleak, it was rainy and totally grey;

The skies and my mood showed congruent decay.

But a dear loving friend pushed all that away:

A small vampire appeared in my mailbox today.

(Thanks, Ken & Ruth!)

When you next de-clutter your house, consider sending those mathoms on to bring your friends joy.

Poe’s “The Raven,” sung to “Deck the Halls” December 18, 2009

Edgar Allen Poe’s THE RAVEN,

Sung to the tune of “Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly”

NOTE: The following verses are a selection, equivalent to only 2+ verses from the full poem, which contains no less than 18! Now give it a go, if you dare:

***

Once upon a midnight dreary,              [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
While I pondered, weak and weary,     [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Over many a quaint and curious / volume of forgotten lore
While I nodded, nearly napping,          [Fa la la la la, la la la la]

Suddenly there came a tapping,            [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
As of some one gently rapping,             [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Rapping at my chamber door.               [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Eagerly I wished the morrow;               [Fa la la la la, la la la la]

Vainly I had sought to borrow               [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
From my books surcease of sorrow      [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
For the rare and radiant maiden / whom the angels name Lenore —
Nameless here for evermore.                 [Fa la la la la, la la la la]

Open here I flung the shutter,                [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
When, with many a flirt and flutter,     [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
In there stepped a stately Raven  /  of the saintly days of yore
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.    [Fa la la la la, la la la la]

Then, methought, the air grew denser, [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Perfumed from an unseen censer          [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!             [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Prophet still, if bird or devil!                  [Fa la la la la, la la la la]

Tell this soul with sorrow laden             [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
If it shall clasp a sainted maiden           [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Whom the angels name Lenore —        [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”            [Fa la la la la, la la la la]

“Be that word our sign of parting,         [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting   [Fa la la la la, la la la la]
Take thy beak from out my heart, and  /  take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” / Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”

***

If you want the singing to be shorter,

sing the first 2 verses, then skip to Verse 6 to end.  Repeat the last line (Quoth the Raven: “Nevermore”) instead of singing the final Fa la las.

You could also, of course, sing the entire poem this way if you so choose.

Perhaps an evening or two could be set aside for this purpose, or a sleepover arranged, with restorative brandies or hot mulled cider at the numerous breaks.