A Valentine (Poe)

For works with similar titles, see A Valentine.

A Valentine by Edgar Allan Poe

An ode to Frances Sargent Osgood. To translate the address, read the first letter of the first line in connection with the second letter of the second line, the third letter of the third line, &c. The name will thus appear. See the highlighted version of the page.

1.For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,
    2. Brightly expressive as the twins of Leda,
Shall find her own sweet name, that nestling lies
    3. Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.
Search narrowly the lines! — they hold a treasure
    4. Divine — a talisman — an amulet
That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure-
    5. The words — the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor
   6. And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
    7. If one could merely comprehend the plot.
Enwritten upon the leaf where now are peering
    8. Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdus
Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
    9. Of poets, by poets — as the name is a poet's, too,
Its letters, although naturally lying
    10. Like the knight Pinto-Mendez Ferdinando —
Still form a synonym for Truth — Cease trying!
    11. You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.

This work published before January 1, 1923 is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.