#26: "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" by Robert Browning

I admit that this poem is not an obvious Halloween choice. But I felt like reading it. There's not that many great Victorian poems based on Scottish fairy tales about lopping off elves' heads. But it inspired Stephen King, and that's Halloweeny, right? Also, the theme of invading the King of Elfland's place to rescue a fair maiden is highly appropriate to the Celtic year's end. Beyond that, of course, it deals with death, which as certain posters have pointed out, is one of the Four Last Things that All Saints' Day, Hallowmas, should make us think on.

But mostly I just like Browning. You could have an all-Browning audioblog that posted 365 days a year, and probably never get bored. (Though all that blank verse might start to wear.) It's only a shame that I'm not an actor, and can't wring every ounce of drama out of the reading.

(You know what we need? A Browning opera. The Ring and the Book's long enough, isn't it?)

You can also read "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" with eyes alone.

MANUAL DOWNLOAD HERE:
"Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came"
12 min.