Lenore

The Raven-Verse 2
BY EDGAR ALLAN POE


    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;

And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

    Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow

    From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—

            Nameless here for evermore.

Lenore, was gifted genetically by God with a beautifully formed face, lean vivacious body and an enchanting voice that mesmerized all who listened. She was Gods perfect creation, for does not our Judeo/Christian heritage state unequivocally that God has sole control over the creation of matter, and everything God creates is good. Unfortunately, God has no control over free will. So in that unknowable process of transitioning from matter to consciousness, we pass through unchartered territory where the devil lurks, whispering insidious thoughts. In transcending from the physical to the metaphysical we listen to the devil at our own peril.

Lenore, loved Disney movies. Her favorite characters were Cruella DeVille, the Wicked Queen from Snow White and the cobra, Kaa, from Jungle Book. She couldn’t decide which of these persona’s to adopt; over the top evil, shadowy and sinister, or hypnotically alluring. She practiced various poses daily in front of the mirror and eventually decided, hypnotically alluring, suited her best. She visited theatrical stores and harvested a selection of exotic gowns that showcased her body to perfection. She left a trail of broken hearts through high school. With the girls it was social media shaming, gossip and innuendo and with the boys it was toying with their affections. Thriving on the despair of humanity, she hoped for more of the same at university.

After studying various personnel at the university her eyes alighted on the history professor. He was a bookish loner, usually muttering to himself as he walked along, eyes fixed on the ground locked in deep thought and she was intrigued. She had tried to make eye contact with him, invariably failing, and this only made her more intent in her pursuit. She enrolled in his history class and got to work weaving her spell. She soon gained his attention and they began chatting after class, she listening politely and attentively as he expounded on some ancient tome. They soon began to take long walks around the university grounds, sipped coffee in small cafes and quite soon the history professor fell under her spell.

It was a bleak December and they were enjoying a quiet Sunday supper in his residence, having just finished desert, when she casually remarked that this would be their last time together. She thanked him for the very high mark in history that he had awarded her and explained that he was now of no further use to her. He remonstrated, pleaded, cried, all to no avail as she sat with a self satisfied smile, breathing in his despair. He staggered from his chair to the library shelf stuttering that he would like to give her a parting gift to remember him by. He reached for a book from the library shelf and carefully blew the dust from its cover. He opened the book, caressing the pages lovingly and read with tears in his eyes ” ex fide fortis exsisto a corvus”.

Lenore, felt very strange, her body twisting its shape, becoming smaller, blacker, wings were growing, she started cawing and flapping. She flew upward and alighted on the bust of Pallas. The history professor, tearfully, retreated to his ancient tome trying to forget his only love, Lenore.

Footnote: I was reading Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven” and couldn’t resist.