A poem was written many years before Poe's Raven that has the same sound and rhythm as the Raven. Poe almost certainly used this poem as a template. Please let me know the name and author of this poem or please e-mail the poem. Thank you.

Regards

Brad

-- Anonymous, June 19, 2001

Answers

In the "Longfellow wars" Poe pretends to catch himself in plagiarism regarding "The Raven"(www.eapoe.org- Literary Criticism by Poe). He quotes Coleridge's "The Rime of the Ancient mariner" and an anonymous poem called "The Bird of the Dream."

But I have seen the complete poem by a female poet(Elizabeth Barret Browning?)that more nearly matches the rhythm and bird theme. I believe it was "The Bird of the Dream"? and I found the whole text in an anthology of English Romantic Verse(ed. David Wright, Penguin)???

Best I can do right now. However, Poe goes much further in symbolism and experimental versification.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001

The poem you may be looking for is Elizabeth Barrett's 'Lady Geraldine's Courtship' (1844). For example:

With a rushing stir, uncertain, in the air, the purple curtain

which is by Barrett, is worth comparing with

the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain

which is, of course, Poe's line.

-- Anonymous, June 20, 2001