What is the name of the poem recited by Roderick Usher in 'The Fall of the House of Usher'?

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The poem recited by Roderick Usher in Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Fall of the House of Usher” is “The Haunted Palace.” Poe first published the poem separately in April 1839, before incorporating it into the short story later that year.

Within the story, Roderick sings the poem while playing a musical instrument for the unnamed narrator. Its imagery describes a magnificent palace that gradually becomes corrupted by evil forces, mirroring the decline of the Usher family and their decaying mansion.

The poem is important because it functions as an allegory for Roderick’s mind. Poe described the piece as representing a mind haunted by phantoms, helping explain Roderick’s fear, isolation, and apparent psychological disintegration. A common mix-up is confusing it with “The Raven,” “Annabel Lee,” or “Lenore,” which are separate Poe works and are not the poem performed by Roderick.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Aug. 2026

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