Saturday, July 17, 2010

In Search of Gold




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 Allan Poe


You can read about the analysis of this poem here. I've been thinking about Lovecraft, Poe, and other weird fiction writers. Eldorado was one of my favorite Poe poems. I like that it has an efficiency in words that is many times lacking in Poe's poetry.

I might be reaching but this poem of Poe's kinda reminds me of DnD a little. This knight is searching for the a fantastical city of gold (sounds a little like mythic underground cities in some of our games). The gold metaphor could also be spiritual enlightenment, or wisdom which is a little bit like gold = exp... Also it has knights and shades and adventuring....







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