If you like Edgar Allan Poe and you enjoy creating artful projects, you are in the right place!

Thursday, February 5, 2015

QUOTH THE RAVEN CHALLENGE #41: FOR THE LOVE OF POE

The "Quoth the Raven, Nevermore" website is challenging us this month to find love in Poe's life.  It's almost Valentine's Day, so choose a Valentine theme or something from Poe's writings about love.  The choice is yours.

For me, it's all about Poe's "real" valentine, his wife.  Virginia Eliza Clemm Poe was born August 15, 1822, in Baltimore, Maryland.  At the age of 13, she married her first cousin Edgar Allan Poe, then 27.  History tells us that in order for her daughter to be married, Virginia’s mother provided a sworn statement testifying the age of both to be 21.  

Virginia, at the age of 24, wrote the following Valentine’s Day poem to her husband.  In 1847, two years before Poe’s death, Virginia died of pulmonary “consumption.”  From what I have read, Virginia truly loved "Eddy," and provided not only care and support for him, but seemed to serve as his muse.

The story is told that Poe realized after Virginia's death that he had no "likeness" of her, so commissioned a portrait before she was entombed.  The likeness I have used here seems to be a penciled drawing of that original work, but that information was not available.

This creation is rather simple, but I thought perfect for this month's challenge.  You can see the poem in Virginia's own hand here.  As many times as I have read this poem and even as I was working on this project, I never knew that Virginia's poem is an acrostic poem.  If you look at the first letter of each of the lines of this poem, you may be surprised at what you see!

The red hearts in the center were stamped using "Daniel's Hearts" from Stampotique Originals.



I hope you will find time this month to play along with the "Quote the Raven" challenge.  Thanks for coming by today!


11 comments:

  1. Awwww... such a beautiful love story, a moving poem, and a gorgeous valentines card kay. I think Poe looked kinda hard, so I find it strange to view him as a soft emotional being. Gonna enjoy researching more of poe quotes and join in this fab challenge. :) :)

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  2. Hello Kay. Well, I thought I might find time to play along last month but someone stole January!!! I love your simple card. I have got hold of the collected works of Master Poe so hope inspiration and creation will get it together this month. Hugz

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  3. Fabulous Kay and a lovely bit of information too :-) xx

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  4. I love how the first letter of each line spells Edgar Alan Poe when read from top to bottom. What a lovely poem. I love the red hearts you stamped into the center of the poem symbolizing that Virgina put her heart and soul into this poem of love for her husband.

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  5. Wow, what an amazing story. Thanks for taking us through that Kay. I love the poem she wrote, so beautiful!

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  6. A very beautiful poem and touching story, thanks for sharing to the world Kay... Your simple by gorgeous Valentine card with this poem and beautiful little image of Victoria is perfect. Hugs

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  7. Wonderful share Kay, the poem written by Poe's wife shows how much she loved him and so eloquently and cleverly composed. Your colour scheme is apt because the only relevant thing is the happiness of the Heart :-) xxx

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  8. Nice. There is someone for everyone isn't there. xox

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  9. Beautiful poem, Virginia must also have been quite talented.

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  10. How wonderful your thoughts and creative flow with them. Beautiful my friend.
    hugs

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