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The Raven By: Edgar Allen Poe<br />
<br />
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,<br />
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,<br />
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,<br />
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.<br />
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered, `tapping at my chamber door -<br />
Only this, and nothing more.'<br />
<br />
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,<br />
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.<br />
Eagerly I wished the morrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow<br />
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Lenore -<br />
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -<br />
Nameless here for evermore.<br />
<br />
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain<br />
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;<br />
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating<br />
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -<br />
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -<br />
This it is, and nothing more,'<br />
<br />
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,<br />
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;<br />
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,<br />
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,<br />
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -<br />
Darkness there, and nothing more.<br />
<br />
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,<br />
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before<br />
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token,<br />
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'<br />
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'<br />
Merely this and nothing more.<br />
<br />
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,<br />
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.<br />
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;<br />
Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -<br />
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -<br />
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'<br />
<br />
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,<br />
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.<br />
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;<br />
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -<br />
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -<br />
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.<br />
<br />
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,<br />
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,<br />
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven.<br />
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore -<br />
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!'<br />
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,<br />
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;<br />
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being<br />
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -<br />
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,<br />
With such name as `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,<br />
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.<br />
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -<br />
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -<br />
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'<br />
Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,<br />
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,<br />
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster<br />
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -<br />
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore<br />
Of "Never-nevermore."'<br />
<br />
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,<br />
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;<br />
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking<br />
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -<br />
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore<br />
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing<br />
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;<br />
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining<br />
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,<br />
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,<br />
She shall press, ah, nevermore!<br />
<br />
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer<br />
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.<br />
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee<br />
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!<br />
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'<br />
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -<br />
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,<br />
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -<br />
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -<br />
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'<br />
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!<br />
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -<br />
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,<br />
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -<br />
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'<br />
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting -<br />
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!<br />
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!<br />
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!<br />
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'<br />
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'<br />
<br />
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting<br />
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;<br />
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,<br />
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;<br />
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor<br />
Shall be lifted - nevermore!<br />
<br />
my favorite poem by my favorite poet. - Avg. rating:
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