Read the poem: ” A Valentine “

by Edgar Allan Poe

Download PDF

American Literature – American Poetry – Edgar Allan Poe – Poems of Later Life – Poems of Manhood – Poems of Youth – Doubtful Poems – Prose Poems
< < < Annabel Lee
An Enigma > > >

Poems of Later Life

A Valentine

For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,
Brightly expressive as the twins of Leda,
Shall find her own sweet name, that, nestling lies
Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.
Search narrowly the lines!—they hold a treasure
Divine—a talisman—an amulet
That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure—
The words—the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor!
And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
If one could merely comprehend the plot.
Enwritten upon the leaf where now are peering
Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdus
Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
Of poets by poets—as the name is a poet’s, too.
Its letters, although naturally lying
Like the knight Pinto—Mendez Ferdinando—
Still form a synonym for Truth—Cease trying!
You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.

1846

{To discover the names in this and the following poem, read the first letter of the first line in connection with the second letter of the second line, the third letter of the third line, the fourth, of the fourth and so on, to the end.}

< < < Annabel Lee
An Enigma > > >

American Literature – American Poetry – Edgar Allan Poe – Poems of Later Life – Poems of Manhood – Poems of Youth – Doubtful Poems – Prose Poems

If you liked this article, subscribe , put likes, write comments!

Share on social networks

Check out Our Latest Posts

by Edgar Allan Poe

Poems of Later Life

A Valentine

Leave a comment Cancel reply