The Ravin’

 

by Edgar Adlib Poe

 

Once upon a campaign dreary, while I taxed the weak and weary,
Overlooking many a quaint and curious volumes of Biblical lore,
While I plotted, nearly laughing, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my Senate chamber door.
” ‘Tis some citizen,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door;
Only this, and nothing more.”

Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December,
And each separate Bagger member wrought its spite upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished for sorrow; vainly Dems had sought to borrow
From Rove’s book we increased sorrow, sorrow for the lost class war.
For the rare and Reaganite Made Men with the angled game, class war.
Nameless here forevermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of our people’s hurtin’
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic tickles never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
” ‘Tis some citizen entreating entrance at my chamber door,
Some late citizen entreating entrance at my chamber door.
This it is, and nothing more.”

Presently my scent grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is, I was crapping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you.” Here I opened wide the door;—
Hippies there, and nothing more.

Deep into the hippies peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing
Doubting, scheming schemes no mortals ever dared to scheme before;
But the drum circle was unbroken, and the protest gave no token,
And the only word there spoken were the whispered words,
class war. This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the words,
“Class war” Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the chamber turning, all my greed within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping, something louder than before,
“Surely,” said I, “surely, that is something at my window lattice.
Let’s not see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery ignore.
Let my brain be still a moment, and this mystery ignore.
” ‘Tis the people, and nothing more.”

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately hippy, of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But with mien of Depp or Clooney, leaned against my chamber door.
Perched beside a bust of Reagan, just beside my chamber door,
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony youth beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be long and crazy thou,” I said, “art sure no lazy,
Vegan, slim, and youthful hippy, wandering from the nightly square.
Tell me what thy hipster name is at this Night’s Plutocratic back door.”
Quoth the hippy, “Nevermore.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil–prophet still, if Dem or devil!
By that heaven that bends above us–by that God we both ignore–
Tell this soul with sorrow missing, if, without the distant hissing,
It shall clasp a sainted mission, whom the Koch Boys name Class War–
Clasp a rare and Reaganite mission, whom the Koch Boys name Class War?
Quoth the hippy, “Nevermore.”

“Be that word our sign of parting, dude or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting–
“Get thee back into the Prius and this Night’s Plutocratic whore!
Leave no joint roach as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my greediness unbroken! — quit the bust beside my door!
Take thy Tweet from out my heart, and take thy beads from off my door!”
Quoth the hippy, “Nevermore.”

And the hippy, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
By the ragged bust of Reagan just beside my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a voter’s that is dreaming.
And the lamplight o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be re-elected—nevermore!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN FROM THE PLANET!!!

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Emerald1943
Member

A little haiku for Occupy Poetry!

Zuccotti snow fall…
Domes of ice with huddled souls…
Marching into Spring.

You are NOT allowed to laugh! 🙂 At least, I have the form correct! 5-7-5 I’m not sure about punctuation though, so I’m winging it!

bito
Member

I like that Em, a lot! Very good imagery.

Emerald1943
Member

Awwww thanks, Bito! You’re kind to say so. I could not go without making some pitiful contribution to Occupy Poetry. I love haiku for its simplicity.

KillgoreTrout
Member

Nothing pitiful about it Em!

KillgoreTrout
Member

“Domes of ice with huddled souls…” Very nice indeed, Em.

Emerald1943
Member

Thanks, KT! 🙂 I wish you would do some haiku for us. I’ll bet it would be fantastic!

KillgoreTrout
Member

Hmmmmmmmmm! Food for thought Em.

KillgoreTrout
Member

OK Em I gave it a shot;

The human spirit;

Shines it’s brightest in the pitch

Of dark oppression, so near.

Emerald1943
Member

WOW!!!! KT, that’s beautiful! Thank you for posting that! Please…grace us with more when the muse strikes you! 🙂

Caru
Member

Seconded!

KillgoreTrout
Member

Thanks Em and Caru! Much appreciated. Now about that Muse……she is a fickle lady. 😉

Emerald1943
Member

KT, I know about that Muse! She leaves me just when I need her the most! 🙂

KillgoreTrout
Member

She’s a temptress Em, for sure.

Caru
Member

Nice work, Ems! No laughter here.

*cracks knuckles*

I think that I’ll take a shot at it:

Multitudes take control;
A vast warmth within Winter’s snow,
Their chants begin to grow.

Emerald1943
Member

Hey Caru! Most excellent! I believe we might be onto something here! I just love haiku! You did great!! 🙂

Caru
Member

Thanks! I don’t know all that much about haiku, except for the structure.

Emerald1943
Member

Caru, you did great! I’m impressed! You managed to convey a beautiful image with so few words. Perfect!

Caru
Member

Really, genuinely, impressive. Fantastic work, AdLib.

foodchain
Member
foodchain

AdLib as my son would say, “Oh, wow” in that most quiet way to show his appreciation.
“Tis some citizen, only this and nothing more.” captures the Congress better than anything I’ve read to date. The transition of power from pol to citizen has that great elegance of strengthening cadence. I loved this—-a keeper

KillgoreTrout
Member

Brilliant AdLib! Just brilliant! As a self professed poet, I am very impressed. Here is the stanza I really like;

“Be that word our sign of parting, dude or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting–
“Get thee back into the Prius and this Night’s Plutocratic whore!
Leave no joint roach as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my greediness unbroken! — quit the bust beside my door!
Take thy Tweet from out my heart, and take thy beads from off my door!”
Quoth the hippy, “Nevermore.”

Great Kudos to you and Edgar! 😉

lynettema
Member
lynettema

So impressive. It is clear you are a heavy lifter.

Chernynkaya
Member

Wow—that is fantastic! I am in awe. I love this line:

It shall clasp a sainted mission, whom the Koch Boys name Class War–
Clasp a rare and Reaganite mission, whom the Koch Boys name Class War?
Quoth the hippy, “Nevermore.”

And don’t give the credit to Poe; there are lots of poems and it doesn’t mean just anyone can write as well as you. The best I could do is:

There once was a man from Nantucket
and I hate every stupid and venal Republican retard especially the Baggers and hope they all go to to hell
in a bucket.

Emerald1943
Member

Cher, you actually have me laughing out loud!

“…in a bucket”…yeah! That works!

Our next project perhaps should be haiku.

Chernynkaya
Member

Had to try to rhyme, Em, and I’m no poet, obviously. Glad to make you laugh!!

kesmarn
Admin

😆

SueInCa
Member

Cher

Have you ever heard of Rabbi Messer? He is apparently connected with Messianic Jews and the claim is they are NAR/7 Mountains type people? I never heard that……….

http://godsownparty.com/blog/2011/06/messianic-jewish-dominionists-who-the-heck-are-they/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GodsOwnParty+%28God%27s+Own+Party%3F%29&utm_content=FeedBurner

MurphTheSurf3
Editor

Brilliant.

And fun.

It is now in the hands of a whole raft of folks with attribution to AdLib and Planet POV.

Thanks for ALL of the Work….which had to be considerable.

An intriguing Halloween gift.

coveark
Member
coveark

🙂 Happy Halloween

kesmarn
Admin

Uh-oh, now you’ve started something, AdLib…

Sonnet — To Science

by J. Edgar Kes

Science! true daughter of Heresy thou art!

Why preyest thou thus upon the Bagger’s heart?

Vulture, whose wings are inconvenient truths,

How can he love thee or how deem thee wise

Who wouldst not leave him drilling, polluting earth and skies

Albeit he drilled with fracking glee?

Hast thous not dragged Rush Limbaugh from his car?

And driven Sarah Palin from her book tour

To seek to be a Disney star?

Hast thou not torn the Glenn Beck from his dreams,

The O’Reilly from the Fox, and from Cain

the presidential dream beneath the flat tax tree?

Emerald1943
Member

Kes, equally brilliant! You guys make me feel just plain dumb! I could never do that! Great job!

Happy Halloween! 🙂

kesmarn
Admin

Thanks, Em, but I’m with AdLib. Poe did all the heavy lifting!

And you? Dumb? NEVERMORE!!!

KillgoreTrout
Member

Kudos kes! I like it!

Chernynkaya
Member

Kes! Just noticed this and BRAVA! Super.

kesmarn
Admin

Thanks so much Cher and KT.

High praise from folks who write as well as you both do!

Emerald1943
Member

Adlib, WOW!

That is incredible! What a talent we have in our midst! Edgar would love it!

Happy Halloween, everyone! 🙂