Best Raven Poems
Darkness Where Now Poe And Raven Reside,
(Part One)
As the Raven cross into the dark pits
Those in torment went into heaving fits
Its shrieking calls, alarms even down there
Far worse its image to dying souls scare
With great trepidation some turned to Poe
Begging, master far away make it go
Poe only smiled, saying, come now my pet
I have far, far sweeter work for you yet.
As Raven lands on Poe's black-stone table
Spits out two bloody and half eaten hands
Asks, does this remind you of that fable
Promising keys to kingdom's treasured lands
Given to a man willing and able
Freeing princess, her captor's sword withstand
Where death's deeds and bloody might enables
Morbid masterpieces of art so grand.
From all around, their banter brought loud moans
From wretched sinners in that dark hell cast
Raven spoke in wicked, evil tones
I toyed with her, to make my pleasure last
Poe commanded, Raven, please no more of that
We are here to enjoy the pleasant scenes
And in our deep joy, grow lazy and fat
Let us not her poor soul thus so demean.
Raven again spoke, come now we need pain
And louder wailing that soothes a black heart
For what good is torture if has no gain
Or tearful pleadings that come as it starts
Master, order yon' demon band to play
For I shall fly above and watch you dance
Let us enjoy sadder cries on this day
With evil's first bride, a little romance.
Poe then rose to do as his pet wanted
Poe laughed and said, Raven dear, please be nice
Let not our blackened pride thus be flaunted
When bit better decorum would suffice.
With that he motioned demon band to play
Its favorite and first great monstrous hit
As waiting victims begged that they may
Have some relief from their torturous fits.
Robert J. Lindley, 4-30-2019
Dark Rhymes, ( As Raven And Poe Both Survive Below)
Part One...
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Total # Words:306
I See You, Flowers In Your Raven Hair
I see you, in flowery meadow scenes
walking, your blue dress swaying in the wind
your raven hair, beautiful stuff of dreams
and promise, deepest love that never ends.
You see me, with my old pen scribbling so slow
words that poetry absorbs with loud bells
echoing soft tunes shot from heart's love-bow
birthing sheer joy as the oracle tells.
I see you, flowers in your raven hair
coming back, your delicious smile beaming
saying, yes dearest love, I truly care
Fate has decreed our eternal teaming.
You see me, with my old pen scribbling so slow.
Echoing soft tunes shot from heart's love-bow.
Robert J. Lindley, 6-25-2019
Sonnet, ( Where Dream Waves Meet Love's Welcoming Shores)
Note:
Found a moment pen called to dare,
walk from deep dark into that brighter light,
wake again this soul, to its past love bare,
in poetic truth, this life try to repair.
I dance upwards;
below me,
the waves slap the cliffs
and beat the rhythm.
Wind whipped clouds gallop
with flying manes
across the blue plain of the sky.
The wild geese resent
our intrusion;
honking displeasure,
they swoop a warning:
we are guests here.
Amid the cedar fragrance
of summer and freedom,
I lean back
into the arms of the world.
My black is majestic my black is smooth
Even when I was banished from public pool
Even if I was portrayed black face fool
I was a raven flying above you.
I am much more than kinky hair
Thick thighs brown eyes and ebony stare
I am the truth if you want or dare
Take my hand and I’ll take you there.
Black is deeper than had been enslaved
Nothing weaker than to steal me away
From my history where I am great
From times mystery of healing faith
October 17th we celebrate
All black poets on black poetry day
You don’t have to know it that you are a poem
written by spirit, fruit of the loin strong.
Most of us poets are not well known
In our hearts we find gem stone home
For literacy and for fuchsia full blown
Purple royal words we call our own.
*Note: A 60-year annual tradition that involved a mysterious visitor leaving three
roses at the grave of writer Edgar Allan Poe on the anniversary of his birthday
ended in January 2010. Curators of the Poe House and Museum are at a loss to
explain who left these gifts and why they stopped. On many occasions people kept
vigils near Poe’s grave during this period that began in 1949, but no one ever saw
someone leaving the roses. In the morning, however, they were always on his
grave. Poe is considered the father of the American short story and
his poem The Raven is one of his best known works.
Once upon a midnight dreary, Poe heard a tapping at his window
While grieving the loss of his young bride, a maiden “angels named Lenore,”
A radiant teen whose long, black hair in gentle breezes would billow,
Tapping at the window ceased, but suddenly it was heard at his door
Upon opening it, a Raven flew in repeating, “Nevermore”
At first he welcomed this odd visitor until Poe whispered, “Lenore”
When he heard his word echo, the strange Raven he began to abhor
He asked if he’d see his bride again and the bird replied, “Nevermore”
Though Poe died in eighteen forty-nine, a mystery evolved much later
A century after his death, his grave had an annual visitor
Roses were left on his birthday by someone whose love appeared greater
Who had left these floral gifts forever stumped the Poe House curator
Perhaps the answer can only be explained by reincarnation
Did the Raven embody the spirit of Poe’s beloved Lenore
If so, perhaps the Raven returned again in a life rotation
In human form she visited to lay roses on the earthen floor
And upon her death in two-thousand nine, she took to the skies once more
A Raven who now joins the flock circling above her late husband’s grave \/
Could it be her spirit remains with Poe, as it did in life before \/ \/ \/
Bringing him in the afterlife all the roses a poet could crave \/ \/ \/ \/
For those who consider this possibility totally absurd
Just consider the fantasies Poe created with the written word
By Carolyn Devonshire
Contest Title: “Among the Dead,” sponsored by Constance LaFrance ~ A Rambling
Poet ~
Darkness Where Now Poe And Raven Reside,
(Part Two)
Song over, Poe told demon band to leave
And then pointed to the now empty stage
Wretched souls, look as thy lost spirit grieves
I present this new contest- all the rage
Blood and gore will flame your dark desires
Giving some respite from thy crying pleas
In dire conflict, comes death and fire
No weak romance, on love, birds and the bees
Suddenly cast there a hero alive!
In scant armor and flesh soaked in red blood
How this mere mortal had fought to survive
His legs covered in fresh, battlefield mud
Slow to rise, but so defiantly proud
His eyes gleaming with courage Heaven sent
Then yet another crash so very loud
From lightning, its power blasted and spent.
From that flash came a monstrous beast so great
With power from fangs and dagger-like claws
Dragon of massive scale, thick armor plate
Able to spew fire from massive jaws
At first glance it sighted the hero there
Bellowing out with its accursed breath
From thy flesh my claws will now rip and tear
Until that mortal body meets thy death.
Alas! Thy foul breath has no greater foe
Its effects are horrendous unto me...
Yet there is more than even you beast know-
Stronger are roots from my ancestral tree
Send forth thy evil, hottest flaming blast
As my great shield in its glory holds true
Thy fate, thy end has now came at long last
This brighter new dawn, shall be your end too!
Master Poe laughed with his booming voice
Stepping back, giving their battle more room
Announcing this is my gift, my first choice
Entertaining you, pleasure seeing sweet doom
This hero, with mercy I gave his shield
And his scant armor to give him a chance
Battling to the death, neither can yield
Here comes blood and guts, no feeble romance!
Robert J. Lindley, 4-30-2019
Dark Rhymes, ( As Raven And Poe Both Survive Below )
Part Two... Part Three to be written soon.
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Total # Words:306
Fearless Raven, soaring in
the rich, dark chasm—
that world of shadows, echoes,
cliffs and crags chaotic,
the void of subtle stirrings in
a quintessential midnight—
Make some room for me
on your old, straight wings.
I, too, need to sense
lightning piercing stardust,
galvanizing mountains,
stoking distant thunder.
Let me catch a breath
of your pure, primeval air,
exotic and unshackling
latent, raw, unbounded.
I close my eyes and silken thoughts flow through my mind,
The time before time is opened, with all its glory and majesty.
I bring you with me my beautiful queen, within a dream,
To a time that is yet to come, or a time that is long since past.
The time before time, a blueprint of life, of all that shall ever be.
In this land of all tomorrows Love shall surely flow,
A river of life ever running across silver cords of memory.
My Golden queen, come join me within my Celtic Dream.
Your dream is mine, M 'Lord. Your thoughts reach my heart.
The river is swift and deep and I immersed in Love for you.
Time has no place nor meaning in the heart of our dream,
Past, present, or in all our tomorrows, we shall be together.
Our silver cords of memory will never tarnish, my Celtic Lord.
They tie our silken thoughts together, never to be torn apart.
In any land, upon any sea, winds call out your name to me.
Tis you I Love. No other will I ever join in our Celtic Dream.
Meet me tonight before the great white veil between worlds,
Where in our connected minds we ever meet each night.
I want but to gently take your hand my queen and enter our Celtic World.
There within the emerald green fields we shall join together in Love,
In the valley of echoes our love's song shall sing forever,
On the plateau of Arrach we shall look into our futures horizon.
My beloved, come with me into our Celtic scene,
Take my hand and we shall enter our Celtic Dream.
Rays of waning sun bid farewell, and amethyst twilight appears.
Eagerly, I listen for your footfall, for another night is nigh upon us.
Beyond the veil we shall tryst in emerald grasses and lavender heather,
Where enfolded in each others arms, we intimately whisper of adoration.
Our words shall softly echo through valley and vale in perfect harmony,
A song of sweet serenade until we've reached the mountain top.
There, hand in hand, we shall gaze into a million new tomorrows,
Knowing in each one, Love shall carry us deep into our Celtic Dream.
In visions of harmony, this Celtic Dream was born. Thank you, Mike.
The Bloodstone, The Raven And Master Poe,
Part One
The ancient stone, here Raven bled
Cursed and flew away alone
To follow the dark and make its night-bed
Unholy accursed path, bloody the stone
From the abyss, into light of the earth
With Fate and anger, its darkest of hands
A beast reborn - shadow of devil's worth
A repugnant new plague upon this land.
Woe! To the unsuspecting that are blind
Wading through life, unaware of the beast
A heart slayer, infester of the mind
Ravenous for innocence, its great feast
Invisible to most, a curse to few
Relentless in darkest of wicked guile
Ever seeking the cries of victims new
Witty its bold actions, patience its style.
For centuries it search to he then meet
And with the cleverness of its black wit
At his house uninvited take a seat
Torment nightly, drive insane- bit by bit
Blind to the ghastly creature was young Poe
He that life and love had been so tragic
Raven decided, put on a fine show
By showcasing its best evil magic.
First to wake its victim at midnight hour
An ungodly screech a soft tapping sound
From the walls, using its wicked powers
Then whisper, to further its victim hound
For years Poe pretended not to such hear
He was busy, with writing his great verse
No time for such nonsense, no time for fear
Deny the truth of this tiresome new curse
In so doing, shut out this bothersome beast
Pen sweeter words of love and write, write, write
Enjoy fame, his being toast of the East
Phantom ignore, that newborn curse of night
Yet to Raven, this was but the new game
Had it not, its greatest victim now found
And in glee, flew aloft screaming that name
Swearing an oath to one day have Poe bound.
Robert J. Lindley, started Sept 4th, 1979
Rhyme
Note:
Part one of three, this from the original that was never completed.
Edited-- with now to write the two remaining parts to complete
the dark tale.
Raven Speak Not To Me, For A Plague Flees Thy Lips
Sadness came, in clumps of ripping hard, smashing waves
as if morbid thoughts could such sorrows ever save,
none but the blind and deaf could know a darker realm
or more lost ship with, blinder captain at the helm.
Yet even in such pains, one must seek out the Light
for the blind can see, if they embrace truest of sight!
Wayfarer now in hideous ancient abodes
mind burning flames, blasts of misery that explodes,
born of the vile demons that plagued Master Poe
from fiery depths they sprang, as savage and dark foe.
What greater black-curse can one thus be forced to bear
or evil that sends monsters that nightly scare?
Raven speak not to me! For plague flees thy lips
weeping soul, prays not to enter such ghastly trips,
save your epic lashings and thy horrific calls
as well as scalding-hot brands from thy torture halls.
We that saw deepest pains, you once sent Master Poe
enter not chambers or beg more accursed shows!
Your friends attack, forcing each soul to further flee
from hell's first dark levels, with its pitiful pleas,
into caverns wicked, filled with flesh eating beasts
with each new arrival cry, more food for our feasts.
Sirens lure fleeing lost souls into black-sea pits
always seeking, more blood, deeper cuts, harder hits!
Raven, thy terror-nights will soon come to end
for in bright flooding lights, I have found a new friend,
stalwart ally, armed with more than long sharp teeth
one whose true faith, will silence thy calls from beneath.
Dawn's shimmering lights, you shall plague me no more
I bow to he, his powers seals your wicked door!
Robert J. Lindley,
Dark Poetry, ( Poe, Raven and Nightmares)
12-18-2018
‘Devoured’
For I am the representation of the unknown.
I whence at the thought of human touch and flee at first glance.
I fly away in solitude and caw in the name of darkness.
For I am the madness in a poets line and the chaos that brings chills down your spine.
A lunatics binge is greener past the fringe as the laughter echoes past the grassy knoll and the white rabbit effect takes its toll.
Falling in-through a hole-in-one, a single gesture lands you on the dark side of the sun.
You wake in the middle of glide and all you wanna do is do is confide.
The hands of the traveler comforts all who follow.
Especially the ones who connect and wallow.
For I am dark, a winged messenger—swallowed
Perched
upon his resting place, Raven made her call
She
planned to join her lover, using powder and a ball
Gazing
at the markers where the predeceased were laid
She
watched her namesake circle, and heard his woeful voice,
Then
mused the circumstances that took her partner’s life.
Could
sacrifice unite them?
Is there an afterlife?
And
listening to the chilling call,
Raven made her choice.
For ~~A Rambling Poet~~ and the contest: Among The Dead
by Ray Dillard
Always together; Eternally Apart
Raven and the Wolf
A raven beauty lurks in an endless banquet
of shifting, ashen foggy moonlit night.
Burst of stimulating woven blanket;
lovers sail onto the last laced breath flight.
Rhythmic chants echo veiled in sound and light.
The black ominous raven flies by day.
Her lover, white wolf, walks by shadowed night
under the drunken moon; two lovers lay.
Stolen moment of time, hunger in delight.
The howl's that calls of invite at twilight.
Always joined; forever apart" to roam,
carrying their souls through eternity.
Their pleas ignored, for freedom in their home;
denied an earthly life of divinity
and their love stretched into infinity.
8/11/2018
Ladyhawke is a 1985 American fantasy film directed by Richard Donner and starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer.
"Always together; eternally apart". By day Isabeau becomes a hawk, and by night Navarre becomes a wolf. Neither has any memory of their half-life in animal form. Only at dusk and dawn of each day can they see each other in human form for one fleeting moment, but they can never touch.
I've use a Raven instead of a Hawk.
Far as my eyes can see, 'till lake touches sky,
Earth beats as one; Poplar, Jack Pine & Birch all
Sing with the White Throated Sparrow, our Planet's
Love songs.
Sloping (5'canopy) an ancient Deer trail along the
Baptism River (flowing into Lake Superior) I startle a
Buck during his midday Nap. Soundlessly lifting up,
He elegantly bounces away.
From above, a dark object swoops in, Brother
Raven is curious, (always a sentinel for Hawks
And Bald Eagles). I stand motionless, willing my
Neo-Cortex to flood my aura with peace; as I
Extend my arm and gently imitate the Raven's
Welcome call, a double-beat "Caw caw"...I am
Here Raven, I am me". My heart quickens as
He alights on my arm, talons gripping my
Forearm gently, but firmly. Cocking my head,
I look deeply into his obsidian eyes to his
Soul...he imitates me, tilting his head in unison,
letting my gaze enter. Images from high race
Thru my mind...the rushing river...undulating
Tree tops...in an instant, we have become
Brothers of the wild, as I softly shake my arm
To set him free.
"I am me, Brother Raven, I am me"
05/30/15
© All Rights Reserved
Being lost in your mind; and left alone to roam;
In a house with all the lights burning; but nobody's home
In the clear night; stars burning brightly; but no lines drawn or shown
Constellations; the only connection; that's never physically known
But that's where salvation lies;
Hidden behind those dead eyes;
In the infinite unions; found; in those raven skies