Short Poems by Edgar Allan Poe
Edgar Allan Poe's short poems explore dreams, love, beauty, sorrow, and mystery.
Updated December 11, 2025, by Catherine Pulsifer
Be inspired by these short poems by Edgar Allan Poe. Known for his eerie tales of mystery and the macabre, Poe's short poems are equally captivating and profound. Each one offers a unique peek into his complex and creative mind, weaving themes of dreams, love, beauty, sorrow, and the unknown into verses that linger in the heart and mind.
Poe's shorter works reflect on the fleeting nature of life, deep loss, and the mysteries of existence. With every line, his mastery of language and emotion shines through, drawing readers into a world rich with symbolism and meaning. Though brief, these poems hold a depth that leaves us reflecting long after we finish reading.
This collection showcases some of Poe's most striking short poems, organized to highlight the different aspects of his artistry. You'll find reflections on love and dreams, as well as haunting explorations of melancholy and loss. Alongside his poetry, explore a concise biography, a selection of his memorable quotes, and answers to frequently asked questions for a deeper understanding of the man behind the words.
Step into the world of Edgar Allan Poe and discover the timeless brilliance of his short poems - verses that continue to inspire and captivate readers across generations.
A Dream
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
In visions of the dark night
I have dreamed of joy departed-
But a waking dream of life and light
Hath left me broken-hearted.
Ah! what is not a dream by day
To him whose eyes are cast
On things around him with a ray
Turned back upon the past?
That holy dream- that holy dream,
While all the world were chiding,
Hath cheered me as a lovely beam
A lonely spirit guiding.
What though that light, thro' storm and night,
So trembled from afar-
What could there be more purely bright
In Truth's day-star?
A Dream Within A Dream
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Take this kiss upon the brow!
And, in parting from you now,
Thus much let me avow -
You are not wrong, who deem
That my days have been a dream;
Yet if hope has flown away
In a night, or in a day,
In a vision, or in none,
Is it therefore the less gone?
All that we see or seem
Is but a dream within a dream.
I stand amid the roar
Of a surf-tormented shore,
And I hold within my hand
Grains of the golden sand -
How few! yet how they creep
Through my fingers to the deep,
While I weep - while I weep!
O God! can I not grasp
Them with a tighter clasp?
O God! can I not save
One from the pitiless wave?
Is all that we see or seem
But a dream within a dream?
Key Message of this poem, A Dream Within A Dream:
Life moves so quickly, much like sand slipping through our fingers. Edgar Allan Poe's poem A Dream Within A Dream reminds us that time cannot be held, no matter how hard we try. It makes us question what is real and what is only an illusion. Yet, instead of dwelling on what we cannot control, we can choose to embrace each moment, making the most of the time we have. While we may not be able to stop life's waves from carrying things away, we can appreciate what we have while it is here, finding joy in the present rather than sorrow in what is lost.
Poems About Time
Imitation
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
A dark unfathomed tide
Of interminable pride -
A mystery, and a dream,
Should my early life seem;
I say that dream was fraught
With a wild and waking thought
Of beings that have been,
Which my spirit hath not seen,
Had I let them pass me by,
With a dreaming eye!
Let none of earth inherit
That vision of my spirit;
Those thoughts I would control,
As a spell upon his soul:
For that bright hope at last
And that light time have past,
And my worldly rest hath gone
With a sigh as it passed on:
I care not though it perish
With a thought I then did cherish.
Appreciation Poems
Romance
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Romance, who loves to nod and sing,
With drowsy head and folded wing,
Among the green leaves as they shake
Far down within some shadowy lake,
To me a painted paroquet
Hath been- a most familiar bird-
Taught me my alphabet to say-
To lisp my very earliest word
While in the wild wood I did lie,
A child- with a most knowing eye.
Of late, eternal Condor years
So shake the very Heaven on high
With tumult as they thunder by,
I have no time for idle cares
Through gazing on the unquiet sky.
And when an hour with calmer wings
Its down upon my spirit flings-
That little time with lyre and rhyme
To while away- forbidden things!
My heart would feel to be a crime
Unless it trembled with the strings.
Key Message of the poem, Romance:
Edgar Allan Poe's poem Romance reminds us of the innocence of childhood, where imagination and wonder come so easily. As children, we dream freely, seeing beauty in the world around us. But as we grow older, life's responsibilities and struggles take hold, leaving little time for daydreams or creative joy. Yet, Poe's words remind us that even in the busyness of life, we should make time for the things that stir our hearts - whether it's poetry, music, or simple moments of reflection. Life is not just about duty; it is also about cherishing the beauty that still surrounds us.
Poems About Beauty
To Helen
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Helen, thy beauty is to me
Like those Nicsean barks of yore
That gently, o'er a perfumed sea,
The weary, wayworn wanderer bore
To his own native shore.
On desperate seas long wont to roam.
Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face.
Thy Naiad airs have brought me home
To the glory that was Greece
And the grandeur that was Rome.
Lo! in yon brilliant window niche
How statue-like I see thee stand,
The agate lamp within thy hand!
Ah, Psyche, from the regions which
Are Holy Land!
Key Message of the Poem, To Helen
Edgar Allan Poe's poem To Helen speaks to the power of beauty and inspiration. He compares Helen's presence to a guiding light, much like a ship that brings a weary traveler home. Her grace and elegance remind him of the greatness of ancient times, evoking the wisdom of Greece and the majesty of Rome. Poe's words show us that beauty is not just about appearance but about the way someone can uplift and inspire others. It reminds us that true beauty is found in kindness, strength, and the ability to bring comfort and hope to those around us.
Service To Others
To The River
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Fair river! in thy bright, clear flow
Of crystal, wandering water,
Thou art an emblem of the glow
Of beauty - the unhidden heart -
The playful maziness of art
In old Alberto's daughter;
But when within thy wave she looks -
Which glistens then, and trembles -
Why, then, the prettiest of brooks
Her worshipper resembles;
For in my heart, as in thy stream,
Her image deeply lies -
The heart which trembles at the beam
Of her soul-searching eyes.
Poems About Water
To One In Paradise
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Thou wast all that to me, love.
For which my soul did pine:
A green isle in the sea, love,
A fountain and a shrine
All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers,
And all the flowers were mine.
Ah! dream too bright to last!
Ah! starry hope that didst arise
But to be overcast!
A voice from out the future cries,
"On! on! " - but o'er the Past
(Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies
Mute, motionless, aghast.
For alas! alas! with me
The light of life is o'er!
No more - no more - no more -
(Such language holds the solemn sea
To the sands upon the shore)
Shall bloom the thunder-blasted tree,
Or the stricken eagle soar.
And all my days are trances.
And all my nightly dreams
Are where thy gray eye glances.
And where thy footstep gleams.
In what ethereal dances,
By what eternal streams.
Serenade
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
So sweet the hour, so calm the time,
I feel it more than half a crime,
When Nature sleeps and stars are mute,
To mar the silence ev'n with lute.
At rest on ocean's brilliant dyes
An image of Elysium lies:
Seven Pleiades entranced in Heaven,
Form in the deep another seven:
Endymion nodding from above
Sees in the sea a second love.
Within the valleys dim and brown,
And on the spectral mountain's crown,
The wearied light is dying down,
And earth, and stars, and sea, and sky
Are redolent of sleep, as I
Am redolent of thee and thine
Enthralling love, my Adeline.
But list, O list,- so soft and low
Thy lover's voice tonight shall flow,
That, scarce awake, thy soul shall deem
My words the music of a dream.
Thus, while no single sound too rude
Upon thy slumber shall intrude,
Our thoughts, our souls - O God above!
In every deed shall mingle, love.
A Valentine
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,
Brightly expressive as the twins of Leda,
Shall find her own sweet name, that, nestling lies
Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.
Search narrowly the lines! - they hold a treasure
Divine - a talisman - an amulet
That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure -
The words - the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor!
And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
If one could merely comprehend the plot.
Unwritten upon the leaf where now are peering
Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdu,
Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
Of poets, by poets - as the name is a poet's, too.
Its letters, although naturally lying
Like the knight Pinto - Mendez Ferdinando -
Still form a synonym for Truth. Cease trying!
You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.
Key Message of the poem, A Valentine:
Edgar Allan Poe's poem A Valentine reminds us that love is not always obvious - it sometimes takes effort to truly see and understand it. Just as Poe hides a name within his lines, love can be found in the little things, the quiet moments, and the words unspoken. It teaches us that love is not just about grand gestures but about the care and thought we put into it. Whether in poetry or in life, love is a treasure worth searching for, and when we find it, we should hold it close to our hearts.
True Love Poems
The Happiest Day
Poet: 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.
Poems About Happiness
Evening Star
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
'Twas noontide of summer,
And mid-time of night;
And stars, in their orbits,
Shone pale, thro' the light
Of the brighter, cold moon,
'Mid planets her slaves,
Herself in the Heavens,
Her beam on the waves.
I gazed awhile
On her cold smile;
Too cold- too cold for me -
There pass'd, as a shroud,
A fleecy cloud,
And I turned away to thee,
Proud Evening Star,
In thy glory afar,
And dearer thy beam shall be;
For joy to my heart
Is the proud part
Thou bearest in Heaven at night,
And more I admire
Thy distant fire,
Than that colder, lowly light.
The Valley of Unrest
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Once it smiled a silent dell
Where the people did not dwell;
They had gone unto the wars,
Trusting to the mild-eyed stars,
Nightly, from their azure towers,
To keep watch above the flowers,
In the midst of which all day
The red sun-light lazily lay.
Now each visitor shall confess
The sad valley's restlessness.
Nothing there is motionless -
Nothing save the airs that brood
Over the magic solitude.
Ah, by no wind are stirred those trees
That palpitate like the chill seas
Around the misty Hebrides!
Ah, by no wind those clouds are driven
That rustle through the unquiet Heaven
Uneasily, from morn till even,
Over the violets there that lie
In myriad types of the human eye
Over the lilies there that wave
And weep above a nameless grave!
They wave: - from out their fragrant tops
Eternal dews come down in drops.
They weep: - from off their delicate stems
Perennial tears descend in gems.
Key Message of the poem, The Valley of Unrest:
Edgar Allan Poe's poem The Valley of Unrest reminds us that life is always changing - what was once peaceful can become unsettled. The valley, once full of quiet beauty, now carries a sense of sadness and loss. But even in sorrow, there is still meaning. The flowers may weep, and the air may feel heavy, yet life continues. Poe's words encourage us to see that while we may face times of struggle, we can still find beauty in the lessons they bring. Though change is inevitable, we can choose to grow through it, finding strength in the journey.
Poems About Change
The Bells
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Hear the sledges with the bells--
Silver bells!
What a world of merriment their melody foretells!
How they tinkle, tinkle, tinkle,
In the icy air of night!
While the stars, that oversprinkle
All the heavens, seem to twinkle
With a crystalline delight;
Keeping time, time, time,
In a sort of Runic rhyme,
To the tintinnabulation that so musically wells
From the bells, bells, bells--
Bells, bells, bells--
From the jingling and the tinkling of the bells.
A Verse From The Bells
Poet: Edgar Allan Poe
Hear the mellow wedding bells,
Golden bells!
What a world of happiness their harmony foretells!
Through the balmy air of night
How they ring out their delight!
From the molten-golden notes,
And all in tune,
What a liquid ditty floats
To the turtle-dove that listens, while she gloats
On the moon!
Oh, from out the sounding cells,
What a gush of euphony voluminously wells!
How it swells!
How it dwells
On the Future! how it tells
Of the rapture that impels so
To the swinging and the ringing
Of the bells, bells, bells.
Of the bells, bells, bells, bells.
Bells, bells, bells -
To the rhyming and the chiming of the bells!
Christmas Bells Poems
Bio of Edgar Allan Poe
Learn more about the life and legacy of one of America's most famous poets.
Edward Allan Poe was born in 1809 in Maryland, USA and he died in 1849 but his poems are still read by many.
Poe's father drifted away from the traditions of the family, married an English actress, and went on the stage himself. Edgar Poe was born in a lodging house in Boston, where his parents were acting in the Federal Street Theater. His father died soon afterwards, and left his mother with three children to support. Two years after Edgar's birth she died of pneumonia in Richmond, Virginia, in great poverty and distress, in a room on the cellar floor of a theatrical lodging house.
Two of the Poe children were cared for by relatives in Baltimore, while Edgar was adopted by John Allan, a well-to-do tobacco merchant of Richmond. Mr. and Mrs. Allan were childless, and the boy, whose name was now changed to Edgar Allan Poe, was tenderly cared for and educated amid fortunate surroundings. At school he showed himself a lad of quick parts. He not only studied well, but he excelled in athletics, in debate, and in the writing of verses
Poe's literary work falls into three divisions: literary criticism, prose tales, and poetry. His early criticisms are marked by fairness, penetration, and luminous statement. During his later, embittered years, however, he allowed his personal dislikes and jealousies to warp his judgment
Edgar Allan Poe
Quotes by Edgar Allan Poe
Discover memorable quotes from Poe's works, showcasing his literary genius.
"Our thoughts, our souls - O God above! In every deed shall mingle, love."
"You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do."
"While the stars, that oversprinkle all the heavens, seem to twinkle"
"All that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream."
"Helen, thy beauty is to me like those Nicsean barks of yore."
"For in my heart, as in thy stream, her image deeply lies."
"Thou wast all that to me, love. for which my soul did pine."
"Romance, who loves to nod and sing, with drowsy head and folded wing."
"And I hold within my hand grains of the golden sand"
"Hear the sledges with the bells- silver bells!"
"A dark unfathomed tide of interminable pride."
"More I admire thy distant fire, than that colder, lowly light."
Famous Quotes by Famous Poets
"The happiest day - the happiest hour my sear'd and blighted heart hath known."
Frequently Asked Questions about Edgar Allan Poe
Find answers to common questions about Edgar Allan Poe and his poetry
What is Edgar Allan Poe's most famous poem?
Edgar Allan Poe's most famous poem is The Raven, published in 1845. The poem is renowned for its dark atmosphere, haunting refrain of
"Nevermore," and exploration of grief, loss, and madness. While,
"The Raven," is not one of Poe's shorter works, it remains his best-known and most widely read poem.
The Raven
By Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore -
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
""Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door -
Only this and nothing more." . . .
Read the complete poem, The Raven
What themes are common in Edgar Allan Poe's poetry?
Common themes in Edgar Allan Poe's poetry include life and death, grief, beauty, love, and the fleeting nature of life. He frequently explored the pain of loss, the allure of dreams and the subconscious, and the tension between reality and illusion. His works often blend melancholy and beauty, creating a powerful emotional impact.
Why does Edgar Allan Poe often write about death and sorrow?
Poe experienced significant personal loss throughout his life, including the deaths of his parents and his young wife, Virginia. His fascination with death and sorrow in his writing reflects both his personal grief and the larger 19th-century literary tradition of Romanticism, which often dealt with themes of mortality and the mysteries of life and death.
What writing style is Edgar Allan Poe known for in his poems?
Edgar Allan Poe is known for his Gothic style in poetry, characterized by a dark, eerie, and melancholic atmosphere. His use of musicality, rhyme, and meter creates a haunting, lyrical quality. Poe often employs symbolism and allegory, blending elements of the supernatural, romantic ideals, and psychological depth.
What inspired Edgar Allan Poe's poems?
Poe's poems were inspired by personal tragedy, romantic literary trends, and his fascination with the human psyche. His early life was marked by the deaths of his parents, and his wife Virginia's illness and death deeply affected him. He was also influenced by the Romantic movement's emphasis on emotion, nature, and the sublime.
Conclusion
Edgar Allan Poe’s short poems remind us how powerful a few well chosen words can be. His reflections on dreams, beauty, love, and sorrow invite us to pause and think more deeply about life. Even in his darker moments, Poe shows a sensitivity that continues to touch readers today. As you explore his poetry, may you find both insight and appreciation for the way he captures emotion so vividly. These poems are brief, yet they encourage us to look at life with curiosity, wonder, and a sense of meaning that stays with us long after we finish reading.
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