The Poe Show

Tynan Portillo

Listen to the classic horror stories and macabre poems of Edgar Allan Poe, renowned 19th century authors and more in a solemnly dark tone you've never heard before! Featuring the works of Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, The Brothers Grimm, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, J.S. Le Fanu and many more. Two new episodes every month! Music and narration by Tynan Portillo.

  1. 3D AGO

    Eleonora

    Text the show Today's horror audio story is the intriguing tale of a lost lover dealing with a personal illness. Eleonora is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s most well criticized Victorian ghost stories, and as you’ll see in this episode, for good reason. Not only does it show the extent of Poe’s masterful use of powerful prose and ravishing rhetoric to create an unforgettable narrative, it also demonstrates the layers of hidden meaning he was able to construct within the ongoing story. As a master of scary stories and horror, Poe here seems to take a break from the grotesque and focus on the tragic and the beautiful. Truly, this is a gem, among some of Poe’s best work. Research sources for this episode: The History of Men by Prof. Michael S. KimmelWalden by Henry David ThoreauMoby Dick by Herman MelvilleThe Poetic Principle by Edgar Allan Poe(https://www.eapoe.org/works/essays/poetprnb.htm) Agricultural Changes in the Midwest (OR see History of agriculture in the United States on Wikipedia as well)(https://resources.finalsite.net/images/v1560187343/troyk12mius/izy3gyiyjdjy3mcbtx12/Chapter09.pdf) Rise of Crime in the Period 1830-1860 by Paul Dolan(https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2921&context=jclc) Poesian Feminism: Triumph or Tragedy by Debra Johanyak(https://www.jstor.org/stable/44322928?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents) Love and Death in the American Novel by Leslie A. Fiedler(https://archive.org/details/lovedeathinameri00fied) Edgar Allan Poe and Female Victimization by Xi Li(https://etd.ohiolink.edu/acprod/odb_etd/ws/send_file/send?accession=dayton1544130664085232&disposition=inline) A Damsel with a Dulcimer: An Interpretation of Poe’s “Eleonora” by Sam S. Baskett(https://www.jstor.org/stable/3043539?read-now=1&seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents) An Analyzing the Portrayal of Women in Victorian Literature by Rani Rathore(https://www.airo.co.in/publications/64348-victorian-women-(1)-(1)-new.pdf) This audiobook podcast is perfect for educators, teachers, students and schools/colleges looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and classic horror fiction. As it is a horror podcast, it is also great for fans of horror, lore of H.P. Lovecraft, Gothic fiction, poetry, short horror fiction, and timeless classic scary stories. Be sure to share with any fans of horror audio stories, horror audiobooks and spooky tales. Music and narration by Tynan Portillo. TikTok: @poeshowpodcast Support The Poe Show! https://ko-fi.com/thepoeshow Website: https://www Support the show

    34 min
  2. FEB 5

    The Oblong Box

    Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: this episode contains DROWNING, MENTION OF SUICIDE, DISCUSSION OF DEATH AND LOSS OF FAMILY The Oblong Box is one of Edgar Allan Poe’s horror stories that offer both a slice of Victorian life and an intriguing fictional mystery. Published in 1844 and inspired by true events which occurred during the time, as well as events in Edgar Allan Poe’s life, this creepy tale of a boat ride gone wrong has been crafted with a modern flair that makes it both unsettling and succinctly tragic. Follow along as our unnamed narrator unravels the nature of a mysterious oblong box and the queer obsessive behavior a dearly beloved friend has with it… This podcast is perfect for educators, teachers, students and schools/colleges looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and classic horror fiction. Also great for fans of horror, Lovecraftian lore, Gothic fiction, poetry, short horror fiction, and timeless classic scary stories. Support The Poe Show! https://ko-fi.com/thepoeshow Website: https://www.thepoeshow.com/ Music and narration by Tynan Portillo. Horror Movie Reviews on The Poe Show YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thepoeshowpodcast Bluesky: thepoeshow.bsky.social TikTok: @poeshowpodcast Instagram & Threads: @thepoeshowpodcast Email: poeshowpod@gmail.com Intro music by Emmett Cooke on PremiumBeat. SFX Credit: nBeats on YouTube Ambient Academy on YouTube Sound Effects on YouTube Authentic Sound Effects on YouTube Osound on YouTube Support the show

    43 min
  3. 12/17/2025

    Poem: Christmas Trees

    Text the show Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone this season! Today, in honor of the spirit of Christmas, the compassion for and connection to our fellow human beings, let’s dive into a circular letter by Robert Frost. This letter expresses Frost’s disdain for the overt commercialization of the world, buying up any and all beautiful things to sell them off for a profit. The antagonist of this poem is one who sees no wrong in taking what’s not his, offering little compensation, then stealing away to make a profit on his scheme. Its poignant message rings especially loud this year… I decided to keep the music for this episode relatively simple: just one piano plucking away at a sparse melody. I drew upon the tunes I remember loving as a child, like the soundtracks to The Polar Express and Elf. I hope it brings you the same feeling of warmth that helps in this winter cold as it did me. This podcast is perfect for educators, teachers, students and schools/colleges looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and classic horror fiction. Also great for fans of horror, Lovecraftian lore, Gothic fiction, poetry, short horror fiction, and timeless classic scary stories. Support The Poe Show! https://ko-fi.com/thepoeshow Website: https://www.thepoeshow.com/ Episode music and narration by Tynan Portillo. Horror Movie Reviews on The Poe Show YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thepoeshowpodcast Bluesky: thepoeshow.bsky.social TikTok: @poeshowpodcast Instagram & Threads: @thepoeshowpodcast Email: poeshowpod@gmail.com Intro music by Emmett Cooke on PremiumBeat. Support the show

    11 min
  4. 12/12/2025

    The Doll's Ghost

    Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains DOLLS and PARENT LOSING TRACK OF A CHILD. This Victorian ghost story is the first ever to feature the haunted doll. Although it may be a modern horror trope present in many movies, TV shows and stories nowadays, this tale shows just how new the idea of creepy dolls was. Dolls gaining the innovation of sound was a completely new feature at the time of this story’s publication, and F. Marion Crawford obviously knew the potential for what a creepy story he could tell with them. This scary story of a haunted doll stalking a worried father is sometimes terrifying, sometimes heartbreaking, and all the time spooky. Please enjoy The Doll’s Ghost from 1896. Composing the music for this episode became much more heart wrenching than I thought could be possible. It was quite difficult for me, emotionally. This score has now become so integral to how I interpret this story that I cannot read it without hearing the music - nor hear the music without growing emotional at remembering Mr. Puckler's fear of losing his child (and the fear of being lost as a child). Experimenting with ways to replay the same melody, shaping it from a child's perspective, graduating to a parent's perspective, then perverting it with the fear of the ghost, was an exhilarating challenge. This podcast is perfect for educators, teachers, students and schools/colleges looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and classic horror fiction. Also great for fans of horror, Lovecraftian lore, Gothic fiction, poetry, short horror fiction, and timeless classic scary stories. Support The Poe Show! https://ko-fi.com/thepoeshow Website: https://www.thepoeshow.com/ Episode music and narration by Tynan Portillo. Horror Movie Reviews on The Poe Show YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thepoeshowpodcast Bluesky: thepoeshow.bsky.social TikTok: @poeshowpodcast Instagram & Threads: @thepoeshowpodcast Email: poeshowpod@gmail.com Intro music by Emmett Cooke on PremiumBeat. Grandfather Clock Sound Effect on Pixabay: Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay Thunder: Sound Effect by DRAGON-STUDIO from Pixabay Support the show

    43 min
  5. 10/10/2025

    The Cold Embrace

    Text the show TRIGGER WARNING: This episode contains MENTION OF SUICIDE, MENTION OF SUICIDE BY DROWNING and GHOSTS A gesture of love? A reflection of tragedy? A reminder of sin? An unbreakable chain of guilt? The Cold Embrace will ask you to give meaning to the cold fingers that reach out for their disloyal companion. Published in 1860, yet resonant with betrayed lovers everywhere and through all time, Mary Elizabeth Braddon’s masterful short story on the heart breaking tragedy of a fair maiden and the vengeful grip from the grave dragging the villain to his doom will surely give you a fright to remember. As I composed the music for this episode, I felt it needed to be reminiscent of the lost maiden Gertrude, but also express the gaiety of the story’s villain and his attempt at moving along from the tragedy without paying the required justice. I also took some inspiration from one of my favorite composers of all time, Ludwig Van Beethoven. This podcast is great for educators, teachers, students and schools looking to educate themselves and others on the works of Edgar Allan Poe, Victorian era writing, old ghost stories and classic horror fiction. Also great for fans of horror, Lovecraftian lore, Gothic fiction, poetry, short stories, and timeless classic scary stories. Support The Poe Show! https://ko-fi.com/thepoeshow Website: https://www.thepoeshow.com/ Episode music and narration by Tynan Portillo. Horror Movie Reviews on The Poe Show YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@thepoeshowpodcast Bluesky: thepoeshow.bsky.social TikTok: @poeshowpodcast Instagram & Threads: @thepoeshowpodcast Email: poeshowpod@gmail.com Intro music by Emmett Cooke on PremiumBeat. Support the show

    37 min
4.7
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Listen to the classic horror stories and macabre poems of Edgar Allan Poe, renowned 19th century authors and more in a solemnly dark tone you've never heard before! Featuring the works of Edgar Allan Poe, H.P. Lovecraft, The Brothers Grimm, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, J.S. Le Fanu and many more. Two new episodes every month! Music and narration by Tynan Portillo.