Edward Gorey Dies

By Steve

"To take my work seriously would be the height of folly." – Edward Gorey

Edward Gorey, master of grim little verses and drawings, dies of a heart attack at age 75. I, and others who do what I do, mourn the loss of our role model…

Tombeau de Gorey

Curtains now for Edward Gorey,
Bard of grinning, grisly story,
Master, too, of morbid drawing
(Nervous laughter, no guffawing);
Wail or sigh, but none may yawn:
Edward Gorey, dead and gone!

He who wrote of falls down stairs,
Poisonings and jaws of bears,
Skulls that split, and broken backs,
Felled… by simple heart attacks.
Of young children, fond entomber…
He, himself, now graveyard humor.

Verse macabre and more he'd pen:
Sketches all Ed-weird-ian,
Animated Mystery;
Sad to say, he's history.
Now I lift my glass in token:
Here's to Edward… all heartbroken.

- The Yellow Doggerelist

(April 2000)

Copyright © 2000 Stephen S. Bates

 

3 Responses to “Edward Gorey Dies”

  1. Bryan Says:

    His opening for the PBS Mystery series was a wonderful piece of work.

  2. Kevin Hayden Says:

    May the man, in peace rest,
    while I read on, well-impressed.

  3. Steve Says:

    For clarity… Gorey died almost six years ago. I’m just now posting a bunch of old poems.

    Bryan, it was indeed. Sometimes I’ll watch just the opening sequence, go away for an hour, then watch the closing sequence. I believe it was Derek Lamb (sp?) who animated Gorey’s drawings.

    Kevin, welcome, and thanks!

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