Alone - A poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe - Alone

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 loved, I loved alone.
Then- in my childhood, in the dawn
Of a most stormy life- was drawn
From every 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 rolled
In its autumn tint of gold,
From the lightning in the sky
As it passed 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.

Added: on March 8th, 2008 at 4:59 PM | Viewed: 29848 times | Comments and analysis of Alone by Edgar Allan Poe Comments (43)

Alone - Comments and Information
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe (Edgar Allan Poe Art) Poem: Alone Poem of the Day: Sep 17 2009 Comment 43 of 43, added on April 8th, 2009 at 9:52 AM. i really enjoyed this poem and i found it very interesting of how he was able to pour out his emotions like that. David from United States Comment 42 of 43, added on December 16th, 2008 at 9:00 PM. Poe seems to express the tragic loneliness he felt from early childhood into his adult life - a loneliness so deep, it is etched into his soul....This poem seems to have two distinct sections - the first, expressing this deep loneliness....and the second, in which he seems to be searching outside of himself (in and through nature) for answers. The demon that he finds seems, to me, to be symbolic of his loneliness, perhaps, from which he is trying to escape.....but then, discovers in the shape of a cloud. It seems Poe was brought back inside himself - reminding himself that, even when experiencing the beauty of life, his loneliness was a constant companion. This poem touched me deeply - and expressed profound truths about the very real experience of loneliness. Marianne from United States Comment 41 of 43, added on March 8th, 2008 at 4:59 PM. I disagree that the second half of the poem is off track. I think it's fairly obvious that in the first half the narrator considers himself unique and emotionally different than his peers. But the realization he has at the end...delivered beautifully in the last two lines...is that he is not merely different, but possibly evil. The mystery of his life will be wrestling with this demon on the horizon that presumably will get closer and closer. Adam from United States More Comments >> Are you looking for more information on this poem? Perhaps you are trying to analyze it? The poem, Alone, has received 43 comments. Click here to read them, and perhaps post a comment of your own. Of course you can also always discuss poems by Edgar Allan Poe with others on the American Poems poetry forum!

Poem Info
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe Poem: Alone Last read: Mar 20 2010, 5:51PM Poem of the Day: Sep 17 2009 Viewed 29848 times. Added on March 8th, 2008 at 4:59 PM.

Poe Info
Biography More Poems (55 poems) Books