Eerie little poem by Edgar Allan Poe for Friday the 13th. Its "The Haunted Palace" which is featured in The Fall of the House of Usher (1839) by Poe.
In the greenest of our valleys
By good angels tenanted,
Once a fair and stately palace-
Radiant palace- reared its head.
In the monarch Thought's dominion-
It stood there!
Never seraph spread a pinion
Over fabric half so fair!
Banners yellow, glorious, golden,
On its roof did float and flow,
(This- all this- was in the olden
Time long ago,)
And every gentle air that dallied,
In that sweet day,
Along the ramparts plumed and pallid,
A winged odor went away.
Wanderers in that happy valley,
Through two luminous windows, saw
Spirits moving musically,
To a lute's well-tuned law,
Round about a throne where, sitting
(Porphyrogene!)
In state his glory well-befitting,
The ruler of the realm was seen.
And all with pearl and ruby glowing
Was the fair palace door,
Through which came flowing, flowing, flowing,
And sparkling evermore,
A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty
Was but to sing,
In voices of surpassing beauty,
The wit and wisdom of their king.
But evil things, in robes of sorrow,
Assailed the monarch's high estate.
(Ah, let us mourn!- for never morrow
Shall dawn upon him desolate!)
And round about his home the glory
That blushed and bloomed,
Is but a dim-remembered story
Of the old time entombed.
And travellers, now, within that valley,
Through the red-litten windows see
Vast forms, that move fantastically
To a discordant melody,
While, like a ghastly rapid river,
Through the pale door
A hideous throng rush out forever
And laugh- but smile no more.
Some more Paradise Lost artwork I found. I really like the gothic look and the black & white, it fits the mood well.
Better to reign in hell than serve in Heaven.
(Book 1, line 263)
The mind is its own place, and in itself
Can make a Heaven of hell, a hell of Heaven.
(Book 1, lines 254-5)
Awake, arise, or be forever fallen!
(Book 1, line 330)
And, when night
Darkens the streets, then wander forth the sons
Of Belial, flown with insolence and wine.
(Book 1, lines 500-2)
Artwork by Gustave Doré
Here are some random quotes/scenes from Nausicaä Of the Valley of the Wind.
........................
LORD YUPA: Nausicaä! What are you doing here? This chamber is filled with toxic plants.
NAUSICAÄ: I collected the spores and grew them down here myself. Don't worry the plants aren't poisonous.
LORD YUPA: Not poisonous? Its true, the air is pure in here. But I know these plants from the jungle. These are some of the most lethal.
NAUSICAÄ:: I irrigated this chamber using water drawn from deep underground by the castle windmill. I used soil drawn from there as well. I found that with clean water and soil, the plants from the toxic jungle aren't poisonous. All the poison is in the soil. Even the topsoil in our valley is polluted. But...I don't understand. Who could have polluted the entire earth?
LORD YUPA: You discovered this all on your own?
NAUSICAÄ:: Yes. I was hoping to find a cure for father's illness.
--------
MAYOR OF PEJITE: The Torumekians nearly killed off all our people. They must be stopped. We have no other choice.
Stop her! Grab her!
NAUSICAÄ: Let me go! Let me go!
MAYOR OF PEJITE: Things may seem bad to you now, Princess. But once we have the Warrior, we'll burn the jungle and take back the earth.
NAUSICAÄ: You savages! You're just as bad as the Torumekians!
MAYOR OF PEJITE: You're wrong! The Torumekians want to take over the world.
NAUSICAÄ: Listen, every one of us relies on water from the wells. Because mankind has polluted all the lakes and rivers. But do you know why the wellwater is pure? The trees of the wasteland purify it and you plan to burn the trees down?!? YOU MUST NOT BURN DOWN THE TOXIC JUNGLE! YOU SHOULD HAVE LEFT THE GIANT WARRIOR BENEATH THE EARTH!
MAYOR OF PEJITE: So what should we do? Surrender and become the slaves to the Torumekians?
NAUSICAÄ: Don't you understand? Asbel, tell them how the jungle evolved! And how the insects are guarding it so that we won't pollute the world again. Asbel...please...
As I am eagerly awaiting the release of the final Harry Potter book, I would like to share this cover art I found by Mary GrandPré. I always liked her Harry Potter artwork. This is from the deluxe edition of book 7 but I kind of wish it was on the regular edition too. It's Harry, Ron, and Hermione riding a dragon!!!!! Soooo...dragons in book 7!!!?!!?!!
Since today is Summer Solstice/Midsummer/Litha, here is a painting by Edward Robert Hughes circa 1908 called "Midsummer Eve". I have this painting as a poster, I just love the fantasy & dream-like atmosphere of the painting. It's beautiful!
I found some really beautiful medieval paintings by Edmund Blair Leighton. I think "The Accolade" is my favorite! I want that as a poster. I also like "God Speed!" though. Actually I just really like the dresses. ;) And there's another Tristan and Isolde painting (I already posted a Waterhouse one). Lovely!
Oh Goddess, Source of Gods and Mortals,
All-Fertile, All-Destroying Gaia,
Mother of All, Who brings forth the bounteous fruits and flowers,
All variety, Maiden who anchors the eternal world in our own,
Immortal, Blessed, crowned with every grace,
Deep bosomed Earth, sweet plains and fields fragrant grasses in the nurturing rains,
Around you fly the beauteous stars, eternal and divine,
Come, Blessed Goddess, and hear the prayers of Your children,
And make the increase of the fruits and grains your constant care, with the fertile seasons Your handmaidens,
Draw near, and bless your supplicants.
- Orphic Hymn to Gaia
It was an English ladye bright,
(The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,)
And she would marry a Scottish knight,
For Love will still be lord of all.
Blithely they saw the rising sun
When he shone fair on Carlisle wall;
But they were sad ere day was done,
Though Love was still the lord of all.
Her sire gave brooch and jewel fine,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall;
Her brother gave but a flask of wine,
For ire that Love was lord of all.
For she had lands both meadow and lea,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
And he swore her death, ere he would see
A Scottish knight the lord of all.
That wine she had not tasted well
(The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,)
When dead, in her true love's arms, she fell,
For Love was still the lord of all!
He pierced her brother to the heart,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall:--
So perish all would true love part
That Love may still be lord of all!
And then he took the cross divine,
Where the sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,
And died for her sake in Palestine;
So Love was still the lord of all.
Now all ye lovers, that faithful prove,
(The sun shines fair on Carlisle wall,)
Pray for their souls who died for love,
For Love shall still be lord of all!
--Ballad from "The Lay of the Last Minstrel" (1805) by Sir Walter Scott
