"The Raven" by Edgar Allen Poe

Once upon a midnight dreary daybreak bleary, while I pondered weak worn and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
`'Tis some visitor,' I muttered gathered, `tapping at my chamber door -
Only this, and nothing more.'

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak a warm December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow I have been anticipating; - vainly I had sought to borrow thought in getting
From my books surcease of sorrow freedom from fretting- sorrow fretting for the lost I will wed Lenore -
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore Today until forevermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
`'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; -
This it is, and nothing more,'

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more Framed in sunlight was Lenore.

Deep into that darkness peering bright face blazing, long I stood there wondering, fearing gazing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken,-and the darkness gave no token she too had been early woken,-
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!.'
Merely this Just myself and nothing no one more.’

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me us see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore -
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; -
'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven dove of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony ivory bird beguiling my sad fancy soft sweetheart into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven worn thin, thou,' I said she laughed, `art sure no craven.
Ghastly grim Lustrous white and ancient raven peaceful dove in wandering from the nightly sunlit shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian daylight’s Jovian shore!'
Quoth the raven dove, `Nevermore Forevermore.'

Much I we marvelled this ungainly pureplainly sure,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as `Nevermore Forevermore.'

But the raven dove then, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only,
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered spoke as my heart fluttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow he Promise you will never leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'
Then the bird said, `Nevermore Forevermore.'

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy most graceful master whom unmerciful disaster advantages of better
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden blessedness bore -
Till the dirges songs of his hope that melancholy burden eternal blessedness bore
Of "Never-nevermore Forever-evermore."'

But the raven dove was still beguiling all my sad snug soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I we both betook myself ourselves to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous graceful bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt great, unghastly, gentle, good, and ominous graceful bird of yore
Meant in croaking singing `Nevermore Forevermore.'

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery flawless eyes now burned stared into my bosom's psyche’s core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore forevermore!

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch Bird,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee!’
Respite - respite and nepenthe Blessings - blessings do thee bring from thy memories of Lenore! God we adore?
Quaff Speak, oh quaff this kind nepenthe speak you kindly, and forget tell me this’ lost long asked Lenore!'
Quoth the raven dove, `Nevermore Forevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I she, `thing of evil virtue! - prophet still, if bird or devil on statue! -
Whether tempter Creator sent, or whether tempest chance tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate Quiet, yet and all undaunted unvanted, on this desert beautious land enchanted -
On this welcome home by horror haunted much wanted- tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead Will we - will we be forever? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven dove, `Nevermore Forevermore.'

`Prophet!' said I she, `thing of evil virtue! - prophet still, if bird or devil on statue! -
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul theses souls with sorrow rapture laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp One shall bless a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant Bless the knot ‘tween self and maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven dove, `Nevermore Forevermore.'

`Be that word our sign of parting rejoicing, bird or fiend God!’ I shrieked upstarting cried voicing-
`Get thee back into the tempest heavens and the Night's Plutonian to God’s high Kingdom’s shore!
Leave no black plume as a Thank your God for such a token of that lie which thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken our joyous forms here, softspoken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, We are true to both our hearts; and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven dove, `Nevermore Forevermore.'

And the raven, dove is never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid polished bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's seraph’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on light onto the floor;
And my soul life from out in that shadow light that lies there floating on the floor
Shall be lifted stay there - Nevermore forevermore!