Disease Sharpened in Hell
you entered my brain
love never wronged me
for I had no desire
a vulture fell upon me
take nothing with caution
I was never old
closed, closed, you laughed
so wise to conceal light
///
This is an erasure poem made from Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart.” I’m doing one per page from the 5 pages that comprise the story in the 2004 Barnes & Noble edition of The Essential Tales and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe. The idea was inspired by Dave Bonta’s erasure series based on Pepys’ Diary, and after doing one of my own from Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher,” I wanted to go a little deeper into Poe and erasure. I took the titles from the text and allowed myself to use some of the editorial footnotes.
James Brush is a teacher and writer who lives in Austin, TX. He tries to get outside as much as possible.
Glad to have helped spark this. I love it!
Thanks, Dave. I’m really enjoying your Pepys series too.