A Valentine - Edgar Allan Poe
An Acrostic Tribute Concealing a Beloved Name
(Note: “A Valentine” is an acrostic poem Poe addressed to Frances Sargent Osgood. This text is based on an 1849 printing. The capitalized letters at the start or mid-line, when pieced together, form the name “Frances Sargent Osgood.”)
For her this rhyme is penned, whose luminous eyes,
Brightly expressive as the twins of Lœda,
Shall find her own sweet name, that, nestling lies
Upon the page, enwrapped from every reader.
Search narrowly the lines!—they hold a treasure
Divine—a talisman—an amulet
That must be worn at heart. Search well the measure—
The words—the syllables! Do not forget
The trivialest point, or you may lose your labor!
And yet there is in this no Gordian knot
Which one might not undo without a sabre,
If one could merely comprehend the plot.
Enwritten upon the leaf where now are peering
Eyes scintillating soul, there lie perdus
Three eloquent words oft uttered in the hearing
Of poets, by poets—as the name is a poet’s, too.
Its letters, although naturally lying
Like the knight Pinto—Mendez Ferdinando—
Still form a synonym for Truth—Cease trying!
You will not read the riddle, though you do the best you can do.
Edgar Allan Poe’s “A Valentine” is notable not only as a poem of praise and affection, but also as a clever acrostic puzzle. Written for the poet Frances Sargent Osgood, the poem conceals her name in capitalized letters, which appear systematically throughout. Poe uses this inventive form both to celebrate Osgood’s qualities and to invite the reader into an almost cryptographic endeavor—searching “the words—the syllables” for clues.
In the text, Poe merges romantic homage with playful challenge, referencing mythological imagery (e.g., “twins of Lœda”) and highlighting how carefully readers must scrutinize each line. The poet hints that “there is in this no Gordian knot”—meaning the hidden name can be uncovered without extraordinary force, provided one pays close attention.
Beyond its puzzle element, the poem underscores the Romantic inclination to fuse love with poetic artifice. “A Valentine” serves as both heartfelt tribute and intellectual game—an embodiment of Poe’s fascination with cryptic structures, hidden messages, and the interplay between secrecy and revelation. Throughout, the poem exudes admiration for its muse, casting the name “Frances Sargent Osgood” as the poem’s literal key, even as it remains veiled to the casual observer.
Key points
• The poem is an acrostic, with the name “Frances Sargent Osgood” woven in capital letters.
• Poe uses allusions (e.g., classical references) and calls for careful reading to discover the hidden puzzle.
• The lines blend affectionate praise with playful cryptography.
• “A Valentine” illustrates Poe’s broader fascination with veiled meaning, codes, and illusions.
• At its core, the poem is a tribute to the poet’s dear friend, masking a private dedication in a public verse.