Silence

by Edgar Allan Poe

Fordham House, NY (Poe Cottage) and Edgar Allan Poe
[cropped from original]
Lithograph by C. Mullar?
c. 1908 Nov. 21
From the Library of Congress.

There are some qualities — some incorporate things,
That have a double life, which thus is made
A type of that twin entity which springs
From matter and light, evinced in solid and shade.
There is a twofold Silence — sea and shore —
Body and soul. One dwells in lonely places,
Newly with grass o’ergrown; some solemn graces,
Some human memories and tearful lore,
Render him terrorless: his name’s “No More.”
He is the corporate Silence: dread him not!
No power hath he of evil in himself;
But should some urgent fate (untimely lot!)
Bring thee to meet his shadow (nameless elf,
That haunteth the lone regions where hath trod
No foot of man), commend thyself to God!

1840

A Reading of Silence

While poetry is beautiful in text, it is sometimes easier to absorb and appreciate its rhymes and rhythms if it is recited. To that end, we are proud to offer this beautiful reading:

Silence

What rhyme scheme does Poe use in this poem?

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A Short Biographical Sketch of Poe

This brief video biography provides a quick introduction to American writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe (1809-1849), the author of the poem above.

Of course, if you’d like to learn more about this author, you should check out our collection of other Edgar Allan Poe resources.

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When will you read Poe’s writing in Excellence in Literature?

Poe will be studied in several modules, including in EIL Unit 1 (Introduction to Literature)