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Edgar Allan Poe (19 January 1809 - 7 October 1849 / Boston)
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Poems by Edgar Allan Poe : 10 / 68
An Enigma
"Seldom we find," says Solomon Don Dunce,
"Half an idea in the profoundest sonnet.
Through all the flimsy things we see at once
As easily as through a Naples bonnet-
Trash of all trash!- how can a lady don it?
Yet heavier far than your Petrarchan stuff-
Owl-downy nonsense that the faintest puff
Twirls into trunk-paper the while you con it."
And, veritably, Sol is right enough.
The general tuckermanities are arrant
Bubbles- ephemeral and so transparent-
But this is, now- you may depend upon it-
Stable, opaque, immortal- all by dint
Of the dear names that he concealed within 't.
Edgar Allan Poe
Submitted: Tuesday, December 31, 2002
Read poems about / on: sonnet
Poems by Edgar Allan Poe : 10 / 68
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i think i sort of understand this poem
it's like he's saying
how in many poems
things sound clever and witty and meaningful
but many of them are as nonsensical as this one
they appear to be meaningful
but if you look hard enough you can see right through them
like an enigma
which is
the title
yeah
DEAR NAMES HE CONCEALED WITHIN IT...Poe is boasting of his talent(and ensuing immortality (fame)) through parody.
It is really an enigmatic sonnet to read!
'how dare to 'appreciate' poet like poe who was once a drunkard poet? '
Hmm... no, you still don't make sense.
i mean to appreciate
Interesting enigma - it has a good point considering the writing of many pretentious authors, along with the hidden message Mr. Ahearn pointed out (thank you; I would not have seen that) . I will admit to not fully understanding his point here, and will therefore not give a rating. However, I would like to stress that Poe was not one for writing any idea directly (as is the way with most poets) , let alone an enigma. Laziness to pursue further meaning in any piece of work is no basis to accuse a cleverly written piece of being too abstract or pointless. As long as the writing pertains logically to the central idea, and it does not have inappropriate references, there is nothing 'killed' here - only an unappreciated style, fitted around the rigid structure of a sonnet.
Are you intending your last two sentences to be insults aimed indirectly, but personally, at me, Mr. Ahearn? Or did you intend them to be direct, and therefore frontal, assaults?
No one questions the meaning of the title.
Perhaps, the perplexing part is why Poe thought anyone but him (and his dedicatee, Sarah Anna Lewis) would have any esthetic interest in figuring out the 'enigma'. Once figured out, what is the insight, truth, beauty, or point of the poem which lends itself to a rereading, which most good poems, by the very nature of their being good, entice us to do?
As I said, in poetry, cleverness kills. And, I believe, the word is 'critics'.
A fine storyteller (especially for younger teens) . An interesting novelist. Aside from a few poems, not the greatest poet. In poetry, cleverness kills. I agree with Kevin.
Isn't it funny how the concerns intelligent men had concerning art and society way back in the day are often the exact concerns we have today? Goes to show how good intelligent men are at changing things they don't like in society and art-or maybe that's just writers.