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