218. EDGAR ALLAN POE: Procrastination
Ah procrastination, something I constantly struggle with. Don’t we all? I’m fighting it right now – I don’t really enjoy writing these blog posts underneath each comic and I always put it off to until the last minute. I know I must do it, but I really don’t want to. As I sat down to write this, my computer was lagging a bit, so I restarted it. Got up to use the bathroom, decided on the way to the bathroom that I needed to fix myself some tea, then paused to read the mail on my kitchen table and of course I had to check the GREATEST PROCRASTINATION MACHINE THE WORLD HAS EVER KNOWN: my phone. Next thing I know, one hour has passed and I still haven’t started writing.
At least this is not a new phenomenon – Edgar Allan Poe wrote the above words in 1845 and I’m sure an early homo sapien kept putting off a cave painting he knew he had to do thousands of years ago. This passage is taken from Poe’s short story The Imp of the Perverse, the name he gives the creature who forces us to do things we know we shouldn’t. The story is about a man who gets away with murder, and after inheriting his victim’s estate and enjoying his new life for years he inevitably falls victim to the Imp yet again, as he can’t help confessing his crime. Poe conveys it much more eloquently than I do and you can read the entire story here.
Don’t let the Imp get you today, do what you need to get done!
A new Zen Pencils kids book is released next week, collecting the best kid-friendly comics of my site into one easy to read book, perfect for story time or the classroom. You can find all the details and pre-order info here.
Discussion (77) ¬
Ah, the bane of my life. My greatest nemesis. The warrior I’m engaged in a mortal struggle with, even as I type. But you know what, it’s time to kick some butt. ?
Thank you man. Early morning motivation and now I must get stuff done! ??
Yes it is time!
Great text selection, Gavin. Poe, as many writers during their time, was largely unappreciated but he managed to produce prose that we still read today, and will probably read for many centuries to come.
Fight your procrastination and create more. I need your Vol.3 collection in my library!
Thanks!
Yup. This.
Yup
I must suppose this fellow is not Poe, who died before the typewriter was invented.
No, just a random victim of the Imp
Ah my favorite writer of all time (along with Cervantes). His writing is so.. actionable. It draws you in and you feel the urge to continue or else ARGHH. Indeed one of the greatest AARGH writers of this past.
I must however, commend you to utmost extremes for being able to visually amplify his writing with an AARGH factor that does great justice to the work of Poe.
In all honesty, when I saw the black and white I immediately assumed that the last frame would hold a picture of vivid colors with great cathartic value. But, a fool I was, I should have known my Poe. His stories always end in black misery. And to a certain extend, death indeed is the greatest motivator.
Well done gav, very well done. Wonderfull work on making the shadows come to life. Love the typewriter shadow! Reminds me of Naked Lunch.
Thanks Marijn!
Agree! Magnificent selection of words. He completely nailed it!
Do you, perchance, use wood pencils??
These woods (and their works) are lovely, sunny, and deep …
No I use zen pencils
Definitely need to get a poster of this one, if only to scare me into getting more work done. Beautifully done as always! Your comics are amazing and so profound!
Thanks Kasey!
This is so spot on! I need to be at work in 45 minutes, and I’m not even dressed yet. Or had breakfast. Or fed the cat!
Setting that aside though, I’ve been putting aside far too many projects in fear of that imp. Of not “living up to my potential”. A phrase I’ve always hated. At 61, this is particularly relevant. I don’t have as much time as I thought. 30 years at most? Or maybe only 20 years, 10 weeks, 2 days, this next hour as I rush to work?
Time to go to work – both for a paycheck, and for myself.
always feed the cat first my friend, after that, all procastrination is legalized. You will rid yourself of guilt first thing. Have a fresh start.
Never too late to kill the Imp
BEWARE OF PROCRASTINATION WORDS “LATER”-“AFTERWORDS” ETC. IT TENDS TO BECOME BAD HABITS
INSTEAD DWELL UPON SUCCESS MANTRA “DECIDE AND ACT NOW”
I should be writing a college paper right now…
That paper’s not going to write itself!
You nailed it. Magnificent selection of words. This one will be bought as poster immediately.
Cheers Pat!
hm. of course poe writes beautifully and you draw beautifully. but i think this is the first zenpencil that leaves me with negative feelings after reading it… usually they all have an uplift- and it’s what i cherish, why i look forward to them and enjoy the read – here the guy dies, end of story (literally).
i think i really prefer the uplifting (zen) ones 🙂
Thanks, I understand. Sometimes I feel like mixing it up a bit
thank you
How ironic that checking for new work on your site is one of the things I do to procrastinate. This one is perfect for me. Thanks so much for your work, it’s visually amazing, and always honest and thought-provoking.
Thanks Jim! Now stop wasting time on my site 🙂
First time commenter, long time reader.
I had just discovered and read Edgar Allen Poe’s short writing about the Imp of the Perverse a week or so ago while procrastinating myself via TVTropes. At the time it struck a cord, since it seemed funny that I stumbled upon such a dark admission from a creative thinker a hundred years ago struggling with the same Mr. Hyde that I was. Later I saw your email and marveled at the coincidence. Maybe the universe is trying to get a message to me?
Love your work! 🙂
Thanks for creating this and reminding us of the finitude of life.
P.S. I met you two years ago when you came to Cambridge, MA. I gave my sister the book you signed for me, and she ended up buying three of your posters. She bought her most recent on this month! Please keep making comics and doing the good work.
Oo hoo hoo!
Shivers!
But great words from Poe and great comic Gav, you really captured tge feelings there!
But this is not exactly a correct statement because is nothing we “need” to get done. In reality, we don’t “need” to do anything.
Perceived need, then. This is spot on and will likely be my fate, at this point even if procrastination becomes a thing of the past.
The scientific name for a human/humans is homo sapien’s’, the second ‘s’ is necessary.
POEcrastination
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we must do something immediately. that’s one example of delays and delaying things.
A new Zen Pencils kids book is released next week, collecting the best kid-friendly comics of my site into one easy to read book, perfect for story time or the classroom.
Just wanted to say I always save my favorite ZenPencils to read later and get inspired. This one I saved as Poecrastination.jpg
just nice and keep doing great work
Wonderful drawings and story
Thanks for sharing it with us. I am enjoying reading this comics in which each the name give us the living being who forces to do things we know we shouldn’t.
Jack,
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Hey GAV? Ever smoke up? Because you look like the kind of guy who does.
I can see an Edgar Allan Poe statue from my apartment window overlooking the state capitol in Richmond, VA. This comic keeps calling back to me every time I take a break from watching Sketchy for my microbiology exam.
Knocking on wood that this is not prophetic for me.
Great comic as always, I admire your dedication and work.
I was looking at the Nikola Tesla comic and I was wondering if you have ever considered doing a comic about Elon Musk vision of “mars colonisation”. I’ve been reading his Biography “Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX, and the Quest for a Fantastic Future” and there is a lot of great stuff in it.
For me is remarkable that he has established three successful companies with a vision of a better tomorrow. SpaceX, Tesla and SolarX are doing great breakthroughs in their particular areas. I imagine something like a comic with rockets, getting into mars and cool quotes.
Of course this is a suggestion jajajaj. I do not work for them or anything I’m just a nerd-engineer with sci-fi dreams.
Keep of the amazing work, and greetings from Venezuela
This comic scared me to death. Just like the man, I also tend to put off things till tomorrow. I don’t want my end to be like him.
I like so much 🙂
What is the meaning of “chanticleer-note” ? Anyone?
Good choice of prose.
For the fight, I have noticed it to be the mundane, the tasks deemed necessary, TV, the chores.
I had procrastination and lack of trust in my ventures for over 10 years. Great illustrations!
Great Cartoon !! Enjoyed every bit of it ..
Great as always, Gav, the comic and the P.S. after the comic. I understand that could be difficult, but, please, don’t stop adding your personal words and experiences related to the comic. One thing that could help is not to put much pressure on you though, it doesn’t have to be always perfect =)
About procrastination, there is a TED video very good about, by Tim Urban.
Oh GAV, how can I beat this monster? help us man!
=)
Reminded me a quote from the monk Won Hyo. While I am sure he meant it about meditation, I often use it to remind to maintain my practice in other areas –
“As evening draws near, you regret that you did not practice early in the morning. The worldly pleasure which you enjoy now becomes suffering in the future. Why then are you attached to this pleasure? One moment of practice becomes lasting pleasure. Why then do you not practice?”
– Won Hyo
It is good one!!
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This post is awesome and tells all about perverse.
Awesome mind blowing extraordinary worth reading tremendous..
I had procrastination and lack of trust in my ventures for over 10 years. Great illustrations!
It’s like spongebob story dude
I approve this cartoon, especially the Screenwriter and Learner ones – I wonderful if the artist should do a special sequel to CREATIVE STRUGGLE to base it on his previous artwork in order to include those cartoons up above
It is a great cartoon,mcgraw hill really like this.
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very funny comics serious I really love this keep posting and sharing with us!
art work is great
Great work, man
Thanks for the amazing work. awesome!
I like this
amazing ilustration, look profesional !
I feel really happy to have seen your webpage
Good comic GAV! This comic showing that you have got some outstanding talent!
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Great stuff that what you had shown in this comic GAV
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