They're probably too long (though they could be excerpted), but "Eve of St Agnes" and "Lamia" by Keats come to mind, as well as "Christabel" and "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner" by Coleridge, all quite spooky.
The Queen Mab speech in *Romeo and Juliet *(1.4.58-100) is pretty over the top.
Maybe one of Browning's monologs would be fun---"My Last Duchess" is spooky in a different way (one website describes it as akin to *Silence of the Lambs *! ); or "Hunting of the Snark" (which would have to be excerpted, probably) by Lewis Carroll; if done with a straight face it could be both spooky and hilarious.
"Ear candy" makes me think of Vachel Lindsay, too---"General William Booth Enters into Heaven"?
None of these seem quite right, but maybe they'll help someone else come up with something.
On Wed, Oct 9, 2013 at 3:48 AM, Gar Lipow <gar.lipow at gmail.com> wrote:
> My 91 year lod Mom enjoys giving readings on Halloween. She is a minor
> star at the local reader's theater on that day. Last year she read Poe's
> "the Bells" (which IMO is much spookier than the Raven - if you have the
> breath control to read it out loud.) At any rate she does not think she can
> top the "The Bells" but it would be a great present to her to prove her
> wrong - to find her something spooky melodramatic and over the top that can
> beat the Bells.
>
> The Highwayman is not bad when it comes to melodrama and over the topness,
> but as My Mom say, does not come close to "The Bells". Anyone on this list
> have any suggestions? Looking for ear candy, meant to be read out loud..
> Over the top, melodramic (or comic) with a strong supernatural element. No
> worries about delivery - if Ruth can recite "The Bells", and get the
> reaction Poe intended, she can recite anything..
>
> Oh and if you have not encountered "The Bells" lately, here is a link
> http://knowingpoe.thinkport.org/writer/thebells_fulltext.asp .
> onomatopoeic
> ear candy and over the top melodrama. No depth, but oh what a surface.
>
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