Text: Edgar Allan Poe, “To Mrs. M. L. S.” (Text-01), “Shew” manuscript, February 14, 1847


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TO MRS. M. L. S.

Of all who hail thy presence as the morning —

Of all to whom thy absence is the night —

The blotting utterly from out high heaven

The sacred sun — of all who, weeping, bless thee

Hourly for hope — for life — ah! above all,

For the resurrection of deep-buried faith

In Truth — in Virtue — in Humanity —

Of all who, on Despair's unhallowed bed

Laying them down to die, have suddenly risen

At thy soft-murmured words, “Let there be light!”

At the soft-murmured words that were fulfilled

In the seraphic glancing of thine eyes —

Of all who owe thee most — whose gratitude

Nearest approaches worship — oh, remember

The truest — the most fervently devoted,

And think that these weak lines are written by him —

By him who, as he pens them, thrills to think

His spirit is communing with an angel's.


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Notes:

“Mrs. M. L. S.” was Mrs. Marie Louise Shew, Poe's friend and Virginia's nurse. Later, she was Mrs. Houghton.


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[S:0 - MS, 1847] - Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore - Works - Poems - To M. L. S —— (Text-01)