Alone by Edgar Allan Poe

POEM INTRODUCTION:

The poem “Alone” with eleven rhyming couplets was written by American poet Edgar Allan Poe in the age of 21 which was considered to be his most revealing work. This poem was written in the autograph album of Lucy Holmes Balderston. Later, this was first published in Scribner’s Monthly by E.L.Didier in 1875 long after Poe’s death. Also, this was published in the form of facsimile. The rhyme scheme of this poem is AABB. Poe perceived the world with a stronger sense of alienation in this poem and had premonitions of a deeper purpose to his life which is set apart (Alone). Let’s experience the tragedy of being different from the deeper words of Poe in “Alone”. . .

POEM:

From childhood’s hour I have not been

As others were—I have not seen

As others saw—I could not bring

My passions from a common spring—

From the same source I have not taken

My sorrow—I could not awaken

My heart to joy at the same tone—

And all I lov’d—I lov’d alone—

Then—in my childhood—in the dawn

Of a most stormy life—was drawn

From ev’ry depth of good and ill

The mystery which binds me still—

From the torrent, or the fountain—

From the red cliff of the mountain—

From the sun that ’round me roll’d

In its autumn tint of gold—

From the lightning in the sky

As it pass’d me flying by—

From the thunder, and the storm—

And the cloud that took the form

(When the rest of Heaven was blue)

Of a demon in my view—

POEM SUMMARY:

The poet starts with the somber tone that he is not like others from his childhood onwards. He never saw things like others and also couldn’t love or feel happy from the things that makes other people happy. He couldn’t do that (being different) or chosen to do so because his pain (experience) is different which plagued with darkness. This thing doesn’t make him to feel joy in his heart alike and being not of the same kind (like others). And all I lov’d—I lov’d alone— he loved everything with a vast difference in isolation which others cannot relate to.

He mentioned childhood period as dawn “Of a most Stormy life” whilst his childhood period was haggard (drained) with gloominess. His deep feelings for every good and bad were perceived in a particular way and that is still an unexplained speculation that tied up around him. He could only perceive a demon from all the natural things that is from the fast-moving stream of water or the natural spring of water, from the red cliff or the golden sun that revolved around the earth or from the lightning that passes him quickly or the thunder and storm, even the cloud that changes its form, because his experience moved him uniquely and he doesn’t take sense of being from the same sources as others.

This poem ends with the darker tone as he is captivated in isolation which differs him from the rest in the universe. He projects himself as a demon as it possessed him.