Battle of the Masters

Emily Dickinson and Edgar Allan Poe

Were sparring in poetic verse

 

Said Poe, “My Muse is alcohol.”

Said Emily, “Mine’s the hearse.”

 

Em began the battle with:

“My life closed twice before…”

 

Poe countered with the chilling tale

Of his lost Lenore

 

“Because I could not stop for Death,

He kindly stopped for me…”

 

“The wind came out of the cloud by night…

Killing my Annabel Lee…”

 

They went on like this throughout the day

And all throughout the night

 

But neither brought the other down

With sorrows they’d recite

 

And there they may be standing, still

Swapping words of gloom

 

Neither poet taking notice

Of their own untimely doom 

Author's Note

Imagining what a meeting between these two Masters would be like...

Reviews

[Will]

Hot damn, you've outdone yourself, Rita! This is amazing, you've done a stupendous job combing the worse of these two poetic geniuses. I could literally see these two standing in a room as a storm rages outside, them exchanging dark verse after dark verse. I love it! I count you among these poetic geniuses, Rita, awesome job!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Will. I love that you imagined the storm raging outside; that's perfect! I have a very long way to go to be in the strata of these greats, but I appreciate your confidence in me!

[Will]

Keep writing gems like this, and you'll be there in no time!

[Tom]

This is an epic write with a tinge of black humour which lightens the tense atmosphere created here, as the two galactic personalities of the literacy world go head to head for overall supremacy !

And what a battle, clever, witty and great craic (fun) to read !

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Tom!

[richom]

Very clever and well written. The first two stanzas are particularly gems. Condensing their muses to alcohol and a hearse is brilliant. You even mention one of my two favorite poems of all time, "Annabel Lee." (The other is "If." How trite can I be?) The battle to "outgloom" the other is a fitting conclusion.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thanks, Rich - I love both poets, and can imagine the pair trying to being each other "down". My husband's all-time favorite poem is "If" :)

[Meesh]

I love this! Wow I'm literally out of words to say, and that doesn't happen! What an excellent idea of a poet-off between two greats! My only concession is that it isn't longer... I would so love to see a continuation of the middle part, with more lines swapped between the two writers. That would make my day. Really great work, and a fun read!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you so much, Meesh! I had fun imagining this meeting, and a lot of their poems were whirling around my head. I may have to add some more of their banter! Glad you enjoyed this.

[Rick Puetter]

Hi Rita,

A clever write, and especially appropriate for the "Battle of the Masters" contest. Of course Poe died when Dickinson was a teenager. So this battle could not have really happened, but it is a delightful musing. And untimely deaths they were. Well at least Poe's was, dying before his 40th birthday. Dickinson was in her mid-50s when she died, not so bad at that time. Too young by today's standards for sure, however.

I find it also interesting that this poem, with it's informative and educational bent, comparing the works of two great artists, would have be severely criticized by Poe as he was so diametrically opposed to didacticism in poetry. While Poe is absolutely one of my favorite poets, he was a severe critic of my even greater love, Longfellow, roasting him for the didacticism of his poetry. I can't forgive Poe for this unflinching point of view as so many of my poems are didactic and he would hate them as well. So you and I are in the same company in that regard. Still, Poe would hate your poem. Never mind about that. I find it informative and clever.

I also find the use of couplets interesting. As far as I know Poe never wrote it couplets and quatrains were definitely Dickinson's style. Don't know if she ever used couplets, but definitely her lines had much fewer metric feet than in your poem. Your lines are much more in keeping with Poe's poetry, although the internal meter of his poems might be broken into separate lines, "The Raven", being a good example.

Thank you, I enjoyed the write and thinking again about two poets I greatly enjoy. High marks.

Very best regards,

Rick

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Rick, for these insights! I actually imagined this exchange as the two were standing in the afterlife, perhaps outside the Pearly Gates. (Just how I imagined it...) I hadn't thought about it, but you are right to say that Poe would not have liked this piece. I hope the fact that I read a lot of his work (and Emily's as well) in my classroom would placate him.
I'm glad you enjoyed this poem. :)

[Wicked Dahlia]

i adore this! such a meeting would indeed be interesting to witness. you took two morbid poets and made them lively with your words.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you, Dahlia. They live still, in their poetry... :)

[CoffeeInfused]

I'd read this once already, and added it to my library. I love this, and would definitely imagine this is how a sparring match between the two would end up

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you. Yes, I would love to see this war of words... :)

[Gene Denham]

Awesome!!! Very well written and entertaining. And they happen to be two of my favorite poets.

[Rita L. Sev]

Mine too - can you tell? :) Thank you for reading!

[Tate Morgan]

Oh gods this is great just great so well done that I can now call a Bard.

[Rita L. Sev]

Ha! Thank you so much, Tate!

[Dr. Wood ?]

brilliant!!!

[Rita L. Sev]

Thank you!

[Travis Gibson (poetic h..]

Refreshingly original, excellent work, Rita.

[Rita L. Sev]

Thanks, Hero!