Edgar Allan Poe was an American writer, editor, and literary critic. Whereas earlier critics predominantly concerned themselves with moral or ideological generalities, Poe focused his criticism on the specifics of style and construction that contributed to a work’s effectiveness or failure. In his own work, he demonstrated a brilliant command of language and technique as well as an inspired and original imagination. Poe’s poetry and short stories greatly influenced the French Symbolists of the late nineteenth century, who in turn altered the direction of modern literature. It is this philosophical and artistic transaction that accounts for much of Poe’s importance in literary history. The poem Fairy-Land was first published in 1829, during the Romantic era. The moons extinguish the star-light "with the breath from their pale faces," and one of the moons comes down from the sky and drapes itself "over hamlets, over halls... Over every drowsy thing." When this moon comes down to the earth and buries everything in its "labyrinth of light," all the citizens of the land sleep deeply, and when they awake, they use the moon as "a tent." This moon then shatters into "a shower" of "butterflies," which fly up to the sky before coming back down again. The moon which descends to the land and covers everything with a "labyrinth of light" is perhaps symbolic of the imagination, which can be all-consuming and intoxicating. You can listen online to free English audiobook “Fairy-Land” by Edgar Allan Poe on our website. Enjoy it!
