The Role of Dreams in Edgar Allan Poe's World

Edgar Allan Poe has become one of the most highly regarded and most well respected authors in American literature, largely because of his unique ability to transport the reader to an ethereal realm of fantasy and mystery. Masterfully eliciting strong human emotions of love, betrayal, and loss, Poe uses a fantastic array of imagery and language that gives his works a sense of eeriness. His works include distinctive elements such as a raven who heralded fate and a human heart that lay disembodied and beating beneath a floorboard. Elements such as these give Poe’s most famous works a characteristically chilling connection to the supernatural. Poe’s poetry, written from a more poignant standpoint, employs the same elements of fantasy coupled with the supernatural. Through his poetic use of dreams, the lines between fantasy and reality are effectively blurred.

Two poems in particular, “Dream-land” and “Dream Within a Dream”, utilize dreams as a means for allowing both author and reader to detach themselves from the harsh realities of human suffering. One significant distinction separating the two poems is that in “Dream Within a Dream” the speaker is not alone. This fact is evidenced in the poem’s opening line: “Take this kiss upon the brow!” (Poe 1), where the author is clearly speaking to a companion. Even so, the poem emanates a melancholy tone because the companion is obviously leaving the speaker’s life in some way, perhaps through death, as indicated in the following verse: “And in parting from you now, this much let me avow…” (Poe 2-3).........read more

Energy Saving Practices for Your Computer | Computersight

Energy Saving Practices for Your Computer | Computersight

Green Your Cleaning Routine With Vinegar

As well as being commonly used in a culinary capacity for salad dressings, marinades, sauces and pickles, vinegar is an excellent household cleaner. There are many different types of vinegars, but distilled white vinegar is best for cleaning.

All-Purpose Cleaner

To make an all-purpose cleaner, simply fill a 32 oz. spray-bottle half-way up with water; add about a cup of vinegar, ¼ to ½ cup of dishwashing soap and several drops of essential oil for fragrance. Lemon, orange or lavender work well.

The acid in the vinegar kills viruses, bacteria and mold as well as dissolving mineral deposits and ......read more

Backyard Gardening: A Beginner's Guide

A big mistake for first-time gardeners is starting too large. The allure of growing bountiful crops and beautiful blooms causes beginners to make lofty garden plans that end up being too much to maintain. The best advice is to start small and add to your garden as your confidence builds.

Raised Beds – A Perfect Solution for Beginners

For the novice gardener, installing a raised bed in which to plant vegetables or flowers is a much easier approach than tilling the ground. Any bottomless box will suffice for a raised bed. You can obtain ready-made raised beds from stores that specialize in gardening supplies or internet sources. If you are handy, you can save money by building one yourself, just be sure to build your garden box from untreated lumber. Treated lumber can leach unwanted chemicals into the soil.
A four by four foot box is a good size for beginning gardeners. The depth of your box should be at least eight inches. The size of the garden box should be large enough to allow plants to grow, but small enough to .......read more

A Beginner's Guide to Lucid Dreaming

As people first learn that there is such a thing as becoming lucid in dreams, they often wonder why learning to have this type of dream would be desirable. The answer for most people is that when you become aware that you are dreaming, your dreams can take on an added dimension that is only limited by the imagination. Lucid dreamers can concoct their own adventure and excitement by traveling to other planets or conversing with loved ones .....read more