Snow fell softly and silently on the track ahead of them, floating

down from a loaded grey sky above like cherry blossom. On

either side of the forest trail tall thick evergreens sported fulsome

white skirts that weighed their burdened branches down low.

     Sir Geoffrey Rainault tugged at the cloak slipping down his

shoulders, begrudging the body warmth that escaped with the

movement. Between saddle-sore legs his mount – his favourite,

Edith – plodded relentlessly and wearily: a beast that had carried

him across too many countries to remember. Nine months across

the sun-baked deserts of the Holy Land, across the spring

meadows of endless principalities and dukedoms . . . and now

at last home, England, north of London and en route to the

remote wilderness of Scotland.

     The reason I chose this passage is because of the description. The first paragraph depicts the snow. Normally when a person writes about snow, they just say it was cold and snowing. This, though it is a short generic description, gives an idea of the environment. This author (Alex Scarrow) takes the time to give a full description of the snow and what it is doing. The next paragraph tells about the character Sir Geoffrey Rainault. The ,Sir, before his name indicates that he is someone of importance. It also tells us that this story probably takes place in the Renaissance era. Some other indicators about the time period is the places he had traveled and the time it took. Such as the Holy Land and dukedoms. It also says he was riding a horse for nine months. This all screams Europe of Old.
     This passage is from Time Riders: The Omega Code. This book is the third in a series of nine? I have yet to read it but I can't wait to get a hold of it!(FYI, the fifth book comes on February 2.)

To One Departed

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Seraph! thy memory is to me Like some enchanted far-off isle In some tumultuous sea - Some ocean vexed as it may be With storms; but where, meanwhile, Serenest skies continually Just o'er that one bright island smile. For 'mid the earnest cares and woes That crowd around my earthly path, (Sad path, alas, where grows Not even one lonely rose!) My soul at least a solace hath In dreams of thee; and therein knows An Eden of bland repose. Edgar Allan Poe The reason I chose this poem, other than it being short, is because it is a softer look at this, otherwise dark, poet. Edgar Allan Poe normally writes short stories that captures the imagination while it rips out your soul and tears it to pieces. This poem shows more of a longing for the lost. It gives a small description of the hard, unforgiving life that Poe had. It does this without drawing attention to to the hardships. It focuses more on the longing and not pains.

Gaily bedight,
A gallant knight,
In sunshine and in shadow,
Had journeyed long,
Singing a song,
In search of Eldorado.

But he grew old-
This night so bold-
And o'er his heart a shadow
Fell as he found
No spot of ground
That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength
Failed him at length,
He met a pilgrim shadow-
"Shadow," said he,
"Where cam it be-
This land of Eldorado?"

"Over the Mountains
Of the Moon,
Down the Valley of the Shadow,
Ride, boldly ride,"
The shade replied-
"If you seek for Eldorado!"

     This is the poem Eldorado, by Edgar Allan Poe. The reason I chose this poem, is because of the hidden darker side. It starts off so joyously and bright, with "Gaily bedight," but then takes a dark turn with the knights death comes near. The hidden darkness is the shadow. This is because the shadow represents the reaper come to collect his soul. The words of the shadow crush an already broken knight. The shadow tells him to get to Eldorado, he must take an impossible journey over the and through the realm of the damned.