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To Frances S. Osgood

A poem by Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe (1809–1849) was an American writer best known for his tales of mystery and the macabre, but he was also a gifted poet and literary critic. 'To Frances S. Osgood' was written in 1845 and addressed to a fellow poet with whom Poe had a complex literary and personal relationship. Unlike his darker works, this poem offers straightforward counsel: to be loved, one must remain true to oneself rather than adopt a false persona. The poem is worth reading because it distils a timeless truth about authenticity and affection into eight compact lines, and because it reveals a side of Poe—the advisor, the moralist—that his horror stories often obscure. First published in 1845. This text reflects its era.

Band

Blue · Independent readers, confidentTypical starting range: ages 12–14

Length

long · about 957 words in 4 sections · 2 pictures

Source

The Complete Poetical Works of Edgar Allan Poe, Edgar Allan Poe

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

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