Annabel Lee By: E.A.Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
   In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
   By the name of ANNABEL LEE;--
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
   Than to love and be loved by me.
She was a child and I was a child,
   In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love--
   I and my Annabel Lee--
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
   Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
   In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud by night
   Chilling my Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsman came
   And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
   In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,
   Went envying her and me:--
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
   In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of a cloud, chilling
   And killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
   Of those who were older than we--
   Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in Heaven above,
   Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:--

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes
   Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
   In her sepulchre there by the sea--
   In her tomb by the side of the sea.

Many people see the works of Edgar Allen Poe as artful ramblings of an insane and depressed drunkard... And I completely agree in most cases! Poe has always been my absolute favorite poet, I've even been to his childhood home - and grave. But this poem has always been a beautiful expression of love for me. The idea that love can extends far beyond life, space and time is the most inspirational thought I have ever heard. We all know people who found love and lost, and if we are lucky we will know that one true love in out life...  I was a child the first time I read this poem and even since, all I wanted was THAT kind of love!  So, here's to finding the Love you dream of...  Here's calling you Annabel!

Help For Haiti - Get involved!

This was taken from the White House Blog... Please let me know if you know of other charity options for this cause!

Help for Haiti
Posted by Jesse Lee on January 13, 2010 at 09:53 AM EST

The President has been receiving updates on the urgent situation in Haiti late into last night and this morning,  and top members of his team have been convening to formulate the government response.

You can also help immediately by donating to the Red Cross to assist the relief effort. Contribute online here, or donate $10 to be charged to your cell phone bill by texting "HAITI" to "90999."

Families of Americans living in Haiti are encouraged to contact the State Department at 888-407-4747.

Remember that even while your family may be encountering some financial hardships right now that you have a family, a home and dinner... A small donation of $10 can help insure that those affected by this catastrophic earthquake have the same!

A Simple Prayer For Hatii

Time has passed, the Wheel has turned.

It is time for me to move on.

I will walk hand in hand with the Ancient Ones,

and with my ancestors who came before me.

Great Mother, welcome me back into your womb,
I come to you and know I am blessed,
for my life has been one I am proud of.
As I enter your world, wrap me in your loving arms,
and welcome me.

Lord of Death, I wait for you to take me,
I come to you willingly, with eyes wide open,
as my last moment approaches on the horizon.
May I look upon you without fear, without pain,
and knowing that those who walked before me,
await me on the other side.

O Ancient Ones, give me strength to take these final steps,
and allow me to do so with peace and dignity.
Let my family mourn my passing but not my loss,
and let them heal knowing I will see them again.
Time has passed and the Wheel has turned.
It is time for me to move on.

 

**Dedicated to all those affected by death and sorrow due to the disastrous earthquake in Haiti... May the Gods keep them in their hearts and bless them and their loved ones with peace.