I don't understand the meaning of this poem! Please help me!!!

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2003

Answers

This Poem is Poe's affirming of his belief in romance, or romantic themes. Nature and romance are intermingled. Romance is a bird that lives in harmony with nature. This bird,"paroquet," influenced Poe's earliest thoughts. The first stanza speaks of the beauty, and wonder romance allowed him to write poetry about his youth, all of this is in the past. The second stanza tells of how he no longer has time for the things of his youth, and that what was once beautiful now is considered "forbidden things." When the opportunity presents itself he still indulges in the pleasure of his youth: "And when an hour with calmer wings/ Its down upon my spirit flings-/ That little time with lyre and rhyme/ To while away-forbidden things. Poe wrote this poem before he turned twenty years old.

-- Anonymous, November 29, 2003