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 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 —
Edgar Allan Poe wrote “Alone” in 1829 shortly after the death of his foster mother, Frances Allan. The poem was not titled or published during his lifetime. It was discovered after his death and published posthumously in the illustrated literary periodical “Scribner’s Monthly”, in September 1875.
It is an autobiographical piece in which Poe expresses intense and conflicting feelings about his childhood and family life, emphasising his loneliness, isolation, and difference.
He inhabited a totally different world, where he experienced things in a much more intense and imaginative way than other people. If that sense of being different can be seen as a blessing, the source of his visionary power, it can also become a burden that puts him in contact with the mysterious depths of his own soul. A sort of curse as the feeling of being trapped by his perceptions might make him sense he’s living in his personal hell, where a threatening cloudy “demon” can appear in a clear blue sky
SOLO
Sin dall’infanzia non ero
come gli altri — non vedevo
come gli altri — non sapevo
attingere le passioni da una fonte comune —
Dalla stessa sorgente non sgorgava
il mio dolore — non si destava
allo stesso modo il mio cuore alla gioia
e tutto ciò che ho amato –io l’ho amato da solo —
Allora – nella mia infanzia — all’albeggiare
di una vita tempestosa — scaturì
dall’abisso del bene e del male
il mistero da cui ancor mi sento imprigionare —
dal torrente, o dalla fontana —
dalla vermiglia rupe montana —
dal sole che mi rotolava attorno
nella sua sfumatura d’oro autunnale –,
dal fulmine nel cielo
che accanto a me correva —
dal tuono, e dalle tempeste —
e la nuvola che la forma assumeva
(quando il resto del firmamento era celeste)
d’un demone al mio sguardo —
(trad: L.Z.)
Edgar Allan Poe scrisse “Alone” nel 1829 poco dopo la morte della madre adottiva, Frances Allan. La poesia non aveva titolo e non fu pubblicata durante la sua vita. Fu scoperta dopo la sua morte e pubblicata postuma nella rivista letteraria “Scribner’s Monthly” nel settembre del 1875.
È uno scritto autobiografico in cui Poe esprime sentimenti intensi e conflittuali sulla sua infanzia e vita familiare, sottolineando la sua solitudine, isolamento e differenza.
Abitava in un mondo completamente diverso, in cui viveva le cose in modo molto più intenso e immaginoso rispetto alle altre persone. Se quel senso di essere diverso può essere visto come una benedizione, la fonte del suo potere visionario, può diventare anche un peso che lo mette in contatto con le misteriose profondità della sua anima. Una sorta di maledizione poiché la sensazione di essere intrappolato dalle sue percezioni potrebbe fargli sentire di vivere in un inferno personale, dove un minaccioso “demone” fatto di nuvole può apparire in un cielo azzurro e sereno.
Image Flickr: Steven Christenson
Such a poignant poem..
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I am very glad you like it, Sam 💜
I too found it extremely moving
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🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🌹🌹🌹🌹
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😘😘😘
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A great poem from a great poet! Thank you, dear Luisa. I love Poe! 🤗🙏💖💖😘
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I love Poe a lot too. I find that this poem opens a window on his malaise on his anxieties that come from a distant time
Have a nice afternoon 🙏😘🙏
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True! 🥰🎉💖🙏
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A beautiful, beautiful poem that touches the heart of this poet deeply. Thank goodness it was discovered. Thanks Luisa for sharing it and for your wonderful analysis, much appreciated. Love and light, Deborah.
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Dearest Deborah, thank you for your precious comment and for the support you so generously offer me 🙏
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Very poignant poem. At first, I thought you might have written and it held so much despair I was relieved to find that it was written by Poe who seems to have a brief and very sad life. He did have a lot of talent however.
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Thank youm dearest Pat, for your concern for me.
You are right about Poe: he was very talented and brilliant, but also desperate, lonely and full of obsessions.
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The obsessions would fit right in with the 21st century. 😉
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👍
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Sono versi molto profondi e tristi, che esprimono in pieno il suo male di vivere. Poveretto, la sua sensubilità ha fatto si che non fosse mai felice. Un vero peccato perchè con i doni che aveva avrebbe potuto vivere diversamente, almeno più sereno!!!!!
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Condivido ciò che dici e aggiungo che , purtroppo, spesso le persone geniali sono piene di infelicità
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splendido lavoro che hai fatto su questa lirica di Poe!
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Grazie, Flavio: la sentivo particolarmente mia 💜
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I didn’t knew this superb poem !
Grazie Luisa.
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Merci beaucoup 🙏😘🙏😘🙏
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Such melancholy! He was brilliant.
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You are right, this poem is full of despair
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Cara Luisa, la tua traduzione ha reso tutta la conflittualità dei sentimenti che Poe ha voluto esprimere drammaticamente. Meriti tutti i complimenti.🙏🌹🌹🌹
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Grazie, Marcello. Un tale apprezzamento, venendo da te, mi riempie di una grande soddisfazione 🙏😘🙏
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Grazie a te, Luisa 🌹🙏 Buona notte 🤗😘
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Mi è sempre piaciuto molto Poe, questa poesia è davvero stupenda, buon pomeriggio.
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Grazie,. Silvia cara.
Buona serata a te😘
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merci Luisa tres bon choix 🙂
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Merci beaucoup, ma chère Marguerite 😘
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Such a beautiful poem that evergreen childhood remembering , lovely dear 🌹🙏🏼👍♥️🌹
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So glad you liked it!
Thank you, as ever, for your kind feedback 🙏💜🙏
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🌹🙏♥️🌹
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Bellissima poesia, denota la sua molteplice conflittualità… Super lavoro Luisa, bravissima poichè in questo caso la poesia è piuttosto complessa. Brava!!! ❤
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Grazie infinite: sei sempre estremamente generosa con il tuo apprezzamento
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E tu sei sempre estremamente brava!!! Buona serata 😊
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il corvo sta cantando
il tempo, Edgar Allan
tutto nasce in noi nell’infanzia
le nostre vite saranno la realizzazione di tutto questo
ed è il feto che non ne è responsabile
cosa nasce in un bambino
quando la vita viene al mondo
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Grazie!!!! 🙏💜🙏
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Molto bella. Non la conoscevo
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Non è mai stata pubblicata durante la sua(breve) vita
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Dark words, but those clouds can also have a silver lining
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You’re right, dear Malc,
it always depends on our point of view. A big hug🤗🧡🤗
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I know. Just trying to offer words of encouragement 💙
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And thank you for being such amazing support! 🙏❤🙏
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Should have read “I know”
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Should have read “I know. Just offering words of encouragement” 💙
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Quanta quanta sofferenza.
❤
Abbraccione Luisa
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Buona serata! 🤗🌼🤗
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Complimenti Luisa per la traduzione di questa straordinaria lirica, emozionante la foto che l’accompagna 👏💌
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Grazie di cuore, Dani cara
Imparo molto dai tuoi abbinamenti 🙏💜🙏
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Mi fai arrossire 😊
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😘😘😘
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😊 Wonderful explanation of person when he or she feels lonely
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Thank you very much for your lovely comment 🙏
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My pleasure 😅
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Una poesia intrisa di dolore, ma assolutamente meravigliosa.
Complimenti per la traduzione Luisa!
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Grazie per l’apprezzamento: Poe sa toccare il cuore 🙏🙏🙏
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I personally love Edgar Allan Poe such truth in his words even though they were sometimes heavy. I also began reading your book and first of all congratulations. Secondly I already enjoy reading it. Third for some reason I feel as though you have a personal connection with this book. I pray that you continue to thrive as a writer thank you for sharing your work with the world stay blessed.
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Thank you 🙏🙏🙏
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Your welcome keep it up
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😊😊😊
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Poe was a great writer. Died too young to enjoy success. In France Baudelaire was the one who intoruced Poe. (Translated it from English. So some French spoke English then) 😉
Tutto bene Luisa?
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Thank you very much!! I am very pleased that you enjoyed the read and appreciate your valuable comment! 🙏🙏🙏
Stay safe! 🙂
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Anche tu.
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🙏😘🙏
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[…] Alone […]
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I appreciate the reblog 🙏🙏🙏
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Reblogged this on attis.
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Thank you 🙏
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Poe poeta. Una bella scoperta, per me.
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,,,, e sono parecchie le poesie che ha composto!
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dovrò leggerne altre
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Ho parlato di un suo famosissimo poema THE RAVEN qui https://wordpress.com/post/wordsmusicandstories.wordpress.com/2839
Purtroppo è solo in inglese
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il guaio è che il link non funziona e sa copio solo l’ultima parte mi dice pagina non trovata
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Che peccato!
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se è un vecchio post, WP te lo lascia nei tuoi indici ma non lo fa vedere.
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Non lo sapevo… Grazie per l’informazione
Vuol dire che riproporrò l’argomento: Poe mi affascina
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Lo scoperto per caso cercando un post di molti anni fa. Solo il titolo e basta. Per fortuna ho vecchi salvataggi e ho potuto recuperarlo
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Che brutta notizia!
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Per questo periodicamente faccio i backup.
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[…] Luigi facendo riferimento al mio post “Alone” ha pubblicato questo stupendo articolo in cui legge in modo vibrante e partecipato la mia […]
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Just beautiful, and completely unexpected from Poe. Thank you for enlightening me!
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I’m really glad to know that you liked this poem as much as I liked it
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Poe-ilicious! never heard before, thanks for sharing. Love Poe.
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Thank you very much, Jay!!
As ever, you are so supportive and I value that greatly! 🙂
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You’re welcome, Luisa!
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🙏💜🙏
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