...images abound and the nightly still of Poe...

...new photos include some tests with my new Toshiba H30 (jury's still out on whether I like it or not) at Sunset Beach on Saturday as well as a collection from my Sony DSC called Arcadia, in memory of lost arcades, soda and tokens.  The BEACH and ARCADIA - images are roughly 1440x1000 for desktops.  I'm particularly fond of the images I didn't have to retouch.  One photo in two hundred is the average.

And, in honor of Poe, being the witching time of year, here are a few poems to satiate one's sense of horror, particularly apart from the short stories.

- Ulalume (1847): tremendous 9, 10 metrical form follows the protagonist, in October, as an angel (perhaps) leads him to his lost love.  Reminiscent of The Raven.

- For Annie (1849): a decidedly blithe lyrical that is not fearsome as it is Poe happily appearing dead with love at his breast.  As much as I love the guy, you have to think it wouldn't be too much fun on Friday night (well, there is laudanum).

- Shadow - A Parable (1850): hard to find this appropriately arranged (unless you find a copy of the Penguin "Portable Poe"), but here it is if you can create the breaks in your mind (only copy I could find).  Think the Red Death and Tell Tale Heart but in ancient Greek.

- The Sleeper (1831): quick rhyme analogous of the grave.

- Annabel Lee (1849): and ends with a favorite of any fan of American poetry.  Here Poe allows less to do more - doing away with the baroque and allowing his mastery of meter and stress take rein.

These are best enjoyed in the company of the middle of the night, with coffee that has chilled by the damp weather outside.  The fire should be started and one could ponder the fears that assault us from within.