A Vale Near El Dorado (Poe Tribute)

This is a tribute to Edgar Allen Poe. My tribute poem appears first. Below that is the Poe poem that was my main inspiration for the tribute.

If you read Poe's poem first you will see that mine is a continuation of the story. Enjoy.

A Vale Near El Dorado

   Such gallant knight
         went down in flight
         succumbing to the shadow
         lured to his death
         by whisper's breath
         while seeking El Dorado.

   Came the shade
         within the glade
         the Mountains of the Moon
         and took his strength
         laid him at length
         where now his bones are strewn.

   "Ride boldly ride"
         the whispers chide
         they seek another seeker
         and in his fright
         he takes to flight
         his bones are growing weaker.

   Another falls
         to line the halls
         the Valley of the Shadow
         the gold they crave
         leads to the grave
         in a vale near El Dorado.

                             —DE Navarro

© Copyright 2007 NavWorks Press and DE Navarro. All rights reserved.




Edgar Allan Poe, "Eldorado," Flag of Our Union (Boston), April 21, 1849.

ELDORADO

   Gaily bedight,
   A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
   Had journeyed long,
   Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

   But he grew old —
   This knight so bold —
And o'er his heart a shadow
   Fell, as he found
   No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

   And, as his strength
   Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow —
   'Shadow,' said he,
   'Where can it be —
This land of Eldorado?'

   'Over the Mountains
   Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
   Ride, boldly ride,'
   The shade replied, —
'If you seek for Eldorado!'

                             —Edgar Allen Poe, 1849