This may surprise some regular readers of my blog, but EDGAR ALLAN POE is my favorite secular author (note the word "secular," my favorite ALL-TIME authors are Christian!! Namely...Spurgeon, Ryle, Pastor Martin, etc.) But whereas I read excerpts of those those Christian authors daily, I only read Poe's stuff once a year, in September for some reason, and yes, I do find most of it enjoyable.
Anyway, I wrote my first poem as a teenager in 1969 inspired by Poe's "The Bells" and it was called "Poetry (Poe Try)". My new poem at the bottom of this blog is inspired by Poe's PROSE, "The Cask of Amontillado," and in fact, this entire BLOG, "The Horrors of Alcoholism," was inspired by that macabre masterpiece.
IMPORTANT: Poe himself was apparently a heavy drinker, and it may have contributed to his early death. However, I, myself am a total teetotaler who doesn't think drinking PER SE is wrong. It's drunkenness and lack of moderation / consideration of others who might be tempted that Scripture forbids. My dad, mom and step-father were alcoholics so I have seen first-hand what it can do to you which is why *I* abstain totally. I urge anyone with an alcohol problem to seek out an "A.A." near you!! I've read their book of testimonials and many HAVE been helped greatly through that means.
As for the short story "The Cask of Amontillado," I will summarize it for you briefly below to help you understand my poem but please don't let my synopsis keep you from reading Poe's entire story one day!! It's only 7-8 pages long and Poe tells it brilliantly. Ready?? Here goes...
WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD....An evil man, for evil reasons, tempts a half-drunk man, "Fortunato," to check out some liquor deep in a basement area. Though the victim feels sickly as he descends, his lust for the fresh alcohol keeps him going down, and when they reach the bottom the evil man chains him to the wall then seals him in to the chamber where the alcohol was, indeed, stored. The victim dies a slow, agonizing death behind the wall where no one can hear or help him. Ugh!!
"The Cask of Amontillado" is the inspiration....yes, I said "inspiration".... for this blog, "The Horrors of Alcoholism." I believe Poe's story is almost like a "parable" of how Satan destroys people through alcoholism.
And, this blog mainly consists of my new POEM. Here it is, finally!!
"PLEAS TO A DRUNKEN MAN"
There you go, descending
Descending
It seems there is no ending
to the depths that you descend
Down you go, you "Fortunato"
led by Satan, down to Hell,
craving your Amontillado
Can't you see, this one who guides,
he hides his trowel very well?
Don't you know
the plans he has
are things he'll never tell?
All he says is "go with me
to the depths where Pleasure dwells"
but the steps
you are descending
lead you slowly into Hell.
Still you go, descending
Descending
Through the caverns that are bending
to the booze that's at the end
Yes, YOUR END, dumb "Fortunato"!
Satan uses it as bait
Yes, there is Amontillado
but his chains will seal your fate
...in a tomb
where he'll trap you
till you slowly suffocate
Yet, my pleas
come back to me
while you're in your drunken state
Should I bother still to warn you
"Flee, please flee the devil's wine,
See, please see the death before you"?
Or is this just "Pearls and Swine"?
TURN AND LIVE, dear "Fortunato"
Leave the depths and start to climb
Leave, yes LEAVE Amontillado
Seek the LORD while there is time,
while there's time
© Poem by Chet Jelinski 2018
Illustration of "Fortunato" by Harry Clarke, 1819. Taken from Public Domain.
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