"The Raven" is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. Noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere, it tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing his slow descent into madness. The lover is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. The raven, sitting on a bust of Pallas, seems to further instigate his distress with its repeated word "Nevermore". Throughout, Poe alludes to folklore and classical works. Poe explained in a follow-up essay, "The Philosophy of Composition", that his intention was to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes. The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in Charles Dickens's 1841 novel Barnaby Rudge. The publication of "The Raven" made Poe widely popular in his day. The poem was soon heavily reprinted, parodied, and illustrated. Though some critics disagree about the value of the poem, it remains well known and popular.

Read more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raven

_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:

1941:

100 crew members of the USS Reuben James perished when their vessel became the first U.S. Navy ship sunk by hostile action during World War II after it was torpedoed by the German submarine U-552. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Reuben_James_%28DD-245%29

1963:

A gas explosion at the https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1963_Indiana_State_Fairgrounds_Coliseum_gas_explosion

1973:

Three Provisional Irish Republican Army members escaped from Mountjoy Prison in Dublin aboard a hijacked helicopter that landed in the prison's exercise yard. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mountjoy_Prison_helicopter_escape

2003:

After 22 years in power, Tun Mahathir Mohamad retired as Prime Minister of Malaysia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahathir_Mohamad

_____________________________ Wiktionary's word of the day:

witching hour: 1. (chiefly literary or poetic) Often preceded by the: midnight, when witches and other supernatural beings were thought to be active, and to which bad luck was ascribed; also (generally), the middle of the night, when unfortunate things are thought more likely to occur; the dead of night. 2. (by extension) 3. A time of day, usually in the early evening, when babies and young children are more fretful and likely to cry or fuss. 4. (originally and chiefly US, stock market) The final hour of trading each month during which certain stock options expire, leading to a higher trading volume and greater price volatility. 5. (occult, less common) The hour between 3:00 and 3:59 a.m., associated with demons. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/witching_hour

___________________________ Wikiquote quote of the day:

Now comes the pain of truth, to whom 'tis pain; O folly! for to bear all naked truths, And to envisage circumstance, all calm, That is the top of sovereignty Mark well!   --John Keats https://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/John_Keats