Poetry Critique

"The Happiest Day" by Edgar Allan Poe

The happiest day -- the happiest hour
My sear'd and blighted heart hath known,
The highest hope of pride and power,
I feel hath flown.

Of power! said I? yes! such I ween;
But they have vanish'd long, alas!
The visions of my youth have been-
But let them pass.

And, pride, what have I now with thee?
Another brow may even inherit
The venom thou hast pour'd on me
Be still, my spirit!

The happiest day -- the happiest hour
Mine eyes shall see -- have ever seen,
The brightest glance of pride and power,
I feel- have been:

But were that hope of pride and power
Now offer'd with the pain
Even then I felt -- that brightest hour
I would not live again:

For on its wing was dark alloy,
And, as it flutter'd -- fell
An essence -- powerful to destroy
A soul that knew it well.

I chose this peom because it is of happiness, and of saddness. When I first glanced at it I thought it would be of the happiest day of his life, but it is also of the worst. The irony of the title intrigues me. He has seen the happiest day, he will see the happiest hour, and as it flutter'd--fell. As his happiness was at its peak, it had to fall at some point. Poe is focusing on happiness, to the naked eye, but also grief to those who look deeper into the poem. A wonderful metaphor is used to describe that desend from happiness to sad: "For on its wing was dark alloy, And, as it flutter'd--fell. "The venom thou hast pour'd on me Be still, my spirit!". This is to me a wonderful example of imagery.

Update later, Kelly!