On October 7,
1849, Edgar Allan Poe passed away at age 40 for reasons that to this day are
still a mystery. It almost seems a
fitting end for the man who is often called the ‘Father of the Detective Story’
and while we may never know the true ending to his life, what we do know is
that he had incredible talent for composing words in short stories, essays,
book reviews, and poems like The Raven, published in 1845.
I would love
to brag about all of the Poe works I have read but the truth is, classics like
Poe’s aren’t always so easy for me to understand. Sometimes I feel like Judy Holliday in “Born Yesterday” with
a Poe book in one hand and a dictionary in the other looking up all of the
words I can’t comprehend. “I
looked up every word!” OK, I just did a scene from that play in my acting class
so I have the script “laying here…lying here.”
And I know I
am not the only one who has this trouble of grasping language from another
time. At least I hope I am not alone. Perhaps there are some kids out there
that have my back on this? I also
have a hard time memorizing words.
It has always been a challenge for me as an actor and comedian to
remember my lines – even the words I write myself! So sometimes I need music to help me grasp the
material. I need rhythm. Something to sway my hips to is also
helpful.
It is with
these admissions and to honor the great Edgar Allan Poe that I have created a
literary parody song that was not only so fun to do but truly helped me learn
these three verses of The Raven poem! You are on
your own for the rest of it.
Thanks to one of my favorite 90’s songs “Hard to Handle” by The Black Crowes, I am proud to share my brand new literary parody song “The Raven is
Hard to Handle” where I actually sing!
Not necessarily well, but certainly with lots of passion and heart. Oh, don’t you just love Poe’s The
Tell-Tale Heart? "Villains!" I shrieked. "Dissemble no
more! I admit the deed! Tear up
the planks! Here, here! It is the beating of his hideous
heart!" No, I didn’t memorize
that. I have like 20 Poe books
here on my desk leftover from the video shoot.
As is my mission as the
Stand-Up Librarian, I want to promote libraries and show my love to my fellow
librarians, so this video is no different. There are several “shout outs” in my costumes and especially
on my purse guitar! I love
literature as much as rock n’ roll, so grab a set
of Raven wings and get ready to rock...at the library!
RIP Edgar
Allan Poe!
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| The Raven parody idea came to me after making this hat! |
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| Sitting in my "library" wearing my literary creations that I made or re-styled from other pieces I had. |
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| With my friend and acting teacher Corinne. I asked her to shush me only 1 minute before we filmed it! |
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| Wearing my silver & black Raven wings. I originally had READ on the back in red but it looked like dripping blood. Too dark even for Poe! |
***Please visit: www.StandUpLibrarianDesigns.com if you want me to make you a Raven hat or headband! Or if you are looking for some fashions that are literary fabulous!
