Edgar Allan Poe

To F——

Summary

This poem expresses a deep sense of solace found in the memory of a beloved one amid life's hardships. The speaker finds their earthly path filled with challenges and devoid of simple joys, symbolized by the absence of even a lonely rose. However, the memories of their beloved provide an escape, creating a serene inner world akin to an Eden. The beloved's memory is likened to an enchanted, distant island surrounded by a tumultuous sea, but with serene skies overhead. This imagery suggests that while life's troubles continue, the recollection of the loved one offers peace and refuge, serving as a constant source of comfort and tranquility amidst chaos. The use of nature and isolation as metaphors emphasizes the emotional distance between the speaker's reality and the refuge found in these treasured memories.

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Beloved! amid the earnest woes
That crowd around my earthly path—
(Drear path, alas! where grows
Not even one lonely rose)—
My soul at least a solace hath
In dreams of thee, and therein knows
An Eden of bland repose.

And thus thy memory is to me
Like some enchanted far-off isle
In some tumultuous sea—
Some ocean throbbing far and free
With storms—but where meanwhile
Serenest skies continually
Just o’er that one bright island smile.

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