Sweet Home of Darkness | Teen Ink

Sweet Home of Darkness

December 4, 2022
By MS_Blues GOLD, San Jose, California
MS_Blues GOLD, San Jose, California
10 articles 0 photos 0 comments

Favorite Quote:
"The progress of an artist is a continual self-sacrifice, a continual extinction of personality." <br /> - T.S. Eliot


Sweet Home of Darkness

For Edgar Allan Poe, who I think would’ve loved this place


Sweet Home of Darkness,

Where the skies are down

Edges of the gray sunset crisp with dreary

Forlorn figures roaming without purpose

As if this way of life embraces their unfortunate souls so sincerely


Maybe it does

Maybe the Sweet Home of Darkness is a land we should all experience

Maybe those withering flowers,

Maybe those decaying trees,

Maybe those weeping fields of grass,

Provide something different than what we originally perceived it to be


Sweet Home of Darkness,

How much more of us will you take?

Will I close my eyes and finally be in this peculiar, caliginous place?


The author's comments:

As an author, I think one of the most important things to do is remember who pioneered the genre or style you're proficient in. Edgar Allan Poe happens to be the individual who I express my gratitude towards, as he pioneered darker literature and lit the torch for authors like myself to follow. Therefore, I had always wanted to write something dedicated to him.

When I began this process of writing a tribute for Poe, I had originally intended to write a response to The Raven. However, after going through the writing process for a few hours, nothing significant could escape the depths of my creativity. Anything I could get down on the paper seemed mundane and forced, and I certainly didn't want to experience that while writing a tribute to the man who is my biggest inspiration.

Feeling a sense of defeat, I had laid down and listened to music, deciding to revisit this endeavor a bit later.

However, as I pondered what approach to take for this tribute piece, Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd came on from my playlist.

That's when it hit me; why not produce a poem about a place Poe himself would’ve loved? I had already developed a perception of him through his works, along with a strong implication of the atmosphere he probably would’ve embraced.

Euphoria suddenly rushed through me as I grabbed the journal where my poetry was kept. I practically ripped out my earbuds as I went to a clean page, retrieving a pencil as well. I then wrote at the top: Sweet Home of Darkness. Once that was done, it's as if the words just escaped me; I wrote that poem quicker than other ones, Poe on my mind every second.

Once I set my pencil down and inspected what I wrote, I had the biggest Joker grin on my lips. It was perfect; in my mind, I created an exceptional tribute to Poe. I fulfilled what I desired to for so long.

-

I wanted to share this poem with Teen Ink not only because I consider this one of the strongest poems I've produced, but because it's a piece that I'm genuinely proud of. I believe it exemplifies some of my storytelling assets, in addition to my ability to create a profound piece dedicated to one of the greatest, innovative writers in the history of literature.


Similar Articles

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

This article has 1 comment.


Afra ELITE said...
on Dec. 13 2022 at 10:01 am
Afra ELITE, Kandy, Other
103 articles 7 photos 1824 comments

Favorite Quote:
"A writer must never be short of ideas."<br /> -Gabriel Agreste- (Fictional character- Miraculous)

Good work getting this outstanding piece on editor's choice...