A Dream and a Career

This and the following three podcast episodes were begun as what if history exercises.  These episodes look at what might have happened if Edgar Allan Poe had chosen a different path - if he had decided to become a soldier after his time at West Point, and not one of the greatest of all American writers.  And we invariably go off to discuss other subjects as well such as observations regarding life at West Point, the book of poems that Poe put together at West Point, and some of Poe’s disappointments with the school.

Transcript

Ghost of Edgar Poe - Italics
George - plain

Episode 255 - A Dream and a Career

This and the following three podcast episodes were begun as what if history exercises.  These episodes look at what might have happened if Edgar Allan Poe had chosen a different path - if he had decided to become a soldier after his time at West Point, and not one of the greatest of all American writers.  And we invariably go off to discuss other subjects as well such as observations regarding life at West Point, the book of poems that Poe put together at West Point, and some of Poe’s disappointments with the school.

GHOST ENTER SOUND

Hello, Mr. Poe

Greetings, Mr. Bartley.   

Mr. Poe - I have a rather different idea for the this and the three podcasts following - but I am sure you are up to it.  Before this podcast continues in earnest with a deep dive into your literary career, I would like to take a final look at your military life and your time at West Point - it is obvious that you were at one time quite enthusiastic regarding the military - and it would be very interesting if you could remark on what it might have been like if you stayed in the military, and never embarked on a career of writing.  And before we begin, I must warn you that some of the questions or issues might come across as uncomfortable.

But to return to your premise - if one had remained in the military - well - that is a curious realm – a "what if" scenario where instead of haunting graveyards with my quill, I would chose the parade ground, trading sonnets for sabers.  And my reaction to your comment that some of your questions might be uncomfortable, I can assure you that I will be candid.

Yes, it would be a most interesting thought experiment - to explore this alternate destiny for me - a world where the raven never uttered “Nevermore” - a thought exercise that might give me insight into my literary career.

As you know, I entered the academy in March 1830. I was rather well-schooled and quick-witted, and excelled at classwork, particularly French. But—despite my previous experience in the Army— I buckled under the harsh discipline, long marches, and miserable food. In fact, in 1830, I wrote John Allan -

 Dear Sir,
I would have written you long before but did not know where my letters would reach you. I was greatly in hopes you would have come on to W. Point while you were in N. York, and was very much dissapointed  when I heard you had gone on home without letting me hear from you. I have a very excellent standing in my class — in the first section in every thing and have great hopes of doing well. I have spent my time very pleasantly hitherto — but the study requisite is incessant, and the discipline exceedingly rigid. I have seen Genl Scott here since I came, and he was very polite and attentive — I am very much pleased with Colonel Thayer, and indeed with every thing at the institution —
If you would be so kind as to send me on a Box of Mathematical Instruments, and a copy of the Cambridge Mathematics, you would confer a great favor upon me and render my situation much more comfortable, or forward to Col: Thayer the means of obtaining them; for as I have no deposit, my more necessary expenditures have run me into debt.
But I understand that amid all the required tasks, you did find time to write a collection of poems - a book simply called Poems. 
Yes, despite the significant discipline that being a cadet entailed, I wrote what my fellow cadets assumed was a somewhat humorous collection of humorous poems regarding my often pompous superiors.  One might say, my wit sustained me for a time and, according to my classmate, Thomas Gibson, “I daily issued poems and squibs of local interest  - articles that went the round of the Classes.”

Do we have ANY of those works left?

Yes, Mr. Bartley, one surviving stanza ridiculed the instructor of tactics and inspector of the barracks, Joe Locke, who was tasked also with reporting all cadet violations:
John Locke was a very great name:
Joe Locke was a greater in short;
The former was well known to Fame,
The latter well known to Report.
You may have mentioned this before, but before leaving the school I had a what you might refer to today as a parting shot.  I secured a cadet subscription of $170 to underwrite the publication of my third book of poetry. It was mostly a rehash of my earlier work and was received, as one former roommate remembered, “with a general expression of disgust.” Another wrote in his copy, “This book is a damn cheat,” and that presumably because it contained not one of the humorous squibs and satires that the cadets were no doubt expecting. No doubt, a  fair number of cadets flung their copies into the Hudson River.

And Mr. Poe - I would imagine those copies would be worth thousands of dollars today.  Nevertheless, Mr. Poe, could you grace us with recitations of several of those poems.

Ah, Mr. Bartley - I will refrain from offering Tamerlane or Al Arraaf  - largely due to their length, but I will recite To the River, The Lake, and Spirits of the Dead because of their brevity.
First - To the River
Fair river! in thy bright, clear flow
Of labyrinth-like water,
Thou art an emblem of the glow
Of beauty — the unhidden heart —
The playful maziness of art
In old Alberto's daughter —
 
But when within thy wave she looks —
Which glistens then, and trembles —
Why, then, the prettiest of brooks
Her worshipper resembles —
For in my heart — as in thy stream —
Her image deeply lies —
The heart which trembles at the beam,
The scrutiny of her eyes.

A Dream
In visions of the dark night
I have dreamed of joy departed—
But a waking dream of life and light
Hath left me broken-hearted.

Ah! what is not a dream by day
To him whose eyes are cast
On things around him with a ray
Turned back upon the past?

That holy dream—that holy dream,
While all the world were chiding,
Hath cheered me as a lovely beam
A lonely spirit guiding.

What though that light, thro' storm and night,
So trembled from afar—
What could there be more purely bright
In Truth's day-star?

And finally.
Spirits of the Dead

Thy soul shall find itself alone
’Mid dark thoughts of the gray tombstone—
Not one, of all the crowd, to pry
Into thine hour of secrecy.

Be silent in that solitude,
   Which is not loneliness—for then
The spirits of the dead who stood
   In life before thee are again
In death around thee—and their will
Shall overshadow thee: be still.

Now are thoughts thou shalt not banish,
Now are visions ne’er to vanish;
From thy spirit shall they pass
No more—like dew-drop from the grass.

The breeze—the breath of God—is still—
And the mist upon the hill,
Shadowy—shadowy—yet unbroken,
Is a symbol and a token—
How it hangs upon the trees,
A mystery of mysteries!

Ah, Mr. Poe - it seems that most readers today look at your STORIES for supernatural terrors - but I think that Spirits of the Dead is a simple POEM that shows your talent in expressing the dark side of life and death in a most horrifying fashion.

Thank you, Mr. Bartley.

You are certainly welcome, Mr. Poe - but to return to the original premise for these episodes, what are some of the key differences between your expectations and the reality you encountered at West Point.

Initially I had thought I would receive a commission as an officer after only six months at the academy because of his previous enlistment.
One must understand that before entering West Point, I had served in the Army for two years, rising to the rank of Sergeant Major for Artillery, which was the highest enlisted rank available to me at the time. My successful military career and rapid promotion may have led me to believe I would receive a commission more quickly at West Point.

So, Mr. Poe - did your prior experience allow you to reduce your time at West Point?

I am afraid I must answer in the negative. Upon learning that I would need to complete the full four-year program at West Point to receive a commission, I became most disillusioned. This realization, combined with other factors such as financial disputes with my foster father, contributed to my decision to leave the academy. While I initially did well at the academy, I soon found that  I had an "aversion to mathematics" and struggled with that subject . This clashed with my expectations of academic success.
Financial support was also an issue. I had another argument over money with my foster father, John Allan, who removed me from his will . This  strained my ability to continue at West Point. and may have differed from his expectations of financial support.

A portion of me - a subject I will discuss in more detail later - seems to have realized that "literature was my true vocation" , which led to my decision to leave the academy. In other words, I began to realize that the reality of military life did not align with my emerging career aspirations.

So, I can assume it fair to state that West Point was not what you expected.

PRECISELY, Mr. Bartley.  My expectations of West Point - perhaps as a quick path to an officer's commission and a continuation of my earlier military success - was quite different from the demanding, long-term commitment and structured environment that I actually encountered. This mismatch, combined with my growing interest in pursuing a literary career, led to my deliberate efforts to be discharged from the academy.

But, Mr. Poe - don’t you miss West Point - at least on some level?

Ah, Mr. Bartley, I must admit it feels strange not to be summoned forth amidst the shadows and gaslight. The crisp parade ground air, the clack of boots, the glint of sunlight on brass – it's a far cry from the dank alleys and moonlit graveyards I often inhabit. Yet, there's a poetry in it too, a rhythm of order and purpose.

Mr. Poe, then why do you think a military career originally appealed to you?

The seeds of my military calling were sown early, long before I attended West Point.  Being a member of The Junior Volunteers, that bright, patriotic moment in my youth, undoubtedly stirred the embers of military enthusiasm. Witnessing General Lafayette, a living legend of revolution, sparked a sense of adventure, a yearning for service and honor. The crisp uniforms, the marching drills, the shared camaraderie – it was a glimpse into a world of order and purpose, a stark contrast to the turbulence of my own childhood.

But the appeal stretched beyond mere spectacle. My foster father, John Allan instilled in me a respect for discipline and duty. His tales of his own time in the army, though filtered through his gruff exterior, held a certain romanticism, a sense of belonging to something larger than oneself.

Perhaps it was also a way to escape, Mr. Bartley. From the stifling confines of boarding school, the emotional turmoil of loss and rejection, the military offered a path towards independence, a structured world where merit, not lineage, determined one's worth. The rigid schedules, the physical challenges, the focus on excellence – these were a welcome alternative to the internal chaos that often roiled within me.

Then there was the allure of leadership, of shaping destinies, of commanding respect. My teenage self, yearning for validation and authority, found solace in the idea of wielding power, of being seen as a figure of strength and control. The battlefield, though terrifying, also held a morbid kind of thrill, a test of courage and intellect where one could rise above the fray and etch their name in the annals of history.

But, Mr. Bartley, my fascination with the military was not one-dimensional. I saw not just the glory, but also the brutality, the sacrifice, the soul-crushing weight of command. My poems, even in my youth, often grappled with themes of death, loss, and the fragility of life. So, it wasn't a blind hero worship, but a complex dance between attraction and apprehension, a recognition of both the light and the darkness that resided within the military life.

But the appeal stretched beyond mere spectacle. My foster father, John Allan, was a man of military bearing, instilling in me a respect for discipline and duty. His tales of his own time in the army, though filtered through his gruff exterior, held a certain romanticism, a sense of belonging to something larger than oneself.

Perhaps it was also a way to escape, Mr. Bartley. From the stifling confines of boarding school, the emotional turmoil of loss and rejection, the military offered a path towards independence, a structured world where merit, not lineage, determined one's worth. The rigid schedules, the physical challenges, the focus on excellence – these were a welcome alternative to the internal chaos that often roiled within me.

Very eloquently stated - but I would expect such eloquence from Mr. Edgar Allan Poe.  Could you comment on the “why” regarding your military leanings?

Ultimately, the "why" of my military leanings is a symphony of factors, Mr. Bartley, each chord weaving into the tapestry of my youthful dreams and anxieties. It wasn't just the uniforms, the parades, or the promise of glory. It was a search for belonging, a test of mettle, a way to escape the shadows of my past and forge a future etched in iron and discipline.

And who knows, Mr. Bartley, perhaps a glimpse of that alternate Poe, the soldier-poet, still echoes in the verses I penned, in the rhythm of my language, in the morbid beauty that often danced alongside my melancholy. For even in the darkest trenches, even under the weight of a soldier's burden, the flame of creativity, the whisper of words, could never be truly extinguished.

Mr. Poe, your intense schedule leads me to ask - with all the responsibilities that you faced every day in the military, how did you handle the stress?

Ah, Mr. Bartley - it is precisely BECAUSE our schedules were so crowded that most of the cadets were able to manage our time. Cadets would follow a highly structured daily schedule that allocated specific time blocks for academics, physical training, military duties, and other activities. Regular exercise and physical training, which were integral parts of cadet life, helped reduce stress and improved our overall well-being.

And Mr. poe that Is about all the time we have for today, but I am looking forward to delving - I want to delve into your daily schedule at the school

Farewell, Mr. Bartley

Goodbye Mr. Poe 

Ghost Sound Leaving

Join Celebrate Poe for episode 256 when the ghost of Edgar Poe and I delve into such topics as the rigid schedule at West Point, Poe’s developing literary ambitions, and the influence of military life upon Poe’s writing.

Sources include Edgar Allan Poe: A Critical Biography by Arthur Hobson Quinn, The Poe Log: A Documentary Life of Edgar Allan Poe by Dwight R. Thomas and David K. Jackson, the Baltimore Edgar Allan Poe website, and the Complete Works of Edgar Allan Poe.

Thank you for listening to Celebrate Poe.