It was many and many a year ago, In a kingdom by the sea, That a maiden there lived whom you may know By the name of Annabel Lee; And this maiden she lived with no other thought I was a child and she was a child, But we loved with a love that was more than love I and my Annabel Lee; With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven And this was the reason that, long ago In this kingdom by the sea, A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling So that her highborn kinsman came The angels, not half so happy in heaven, Went envying her and me Yes! that was the reason (as all men know, In this kingdom by the sea) That the wind came out of the cloud by night, But our love it was stronger by far than the love Of many far wiser than we; And neither the angels in heaven above Can ever dissever my soul from the soul For the moon never beams without bring me dreams And the stars never rise but I feel the bright eyes Of the beautiful Annabel Lee; And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side. In her tomb by the sounding sea. EDGAR ALLAN POE 67 THE SHELL AND then I pressed the shell Close to my ear And straightway like a bell Came low and clear The slow, sad murmur of far distant seas, Windswept and desolate. It was a sunless strand that never bore The footprint of a man, Nor felt the weight Since time began Of any human quality or stir Save what the dreary winds and waves incur. And in the hush of waters was the sound Of pebbles rolling round, For ever rolling with a hollow sound. And bubbling sea-weeds as the waters go Their long, cold tentacles of slimy grey. Nor ever came a night Setting the stars alight To wonder at the moon: Was twilight only and the frightened croon, JAMES STEPHENS |