| Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, | |
| Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, | |
| While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, | |
| As of someone gently rapping, tapping at my chamber door. | |
| \"'Tis some visitor,\" I muttered, \"tapping at my chamber door- | |
| Only this, and nothing more.\" | |
| Ah, distinctly I remember it was in a bleak December, | |
| And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. | |
| Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow | |
| From my books surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Lenore- | |
| For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore- | |
| Nameless here for evermore. | |
| And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain | |
| Thrilled me- filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; | |
| Presently 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;- | |
| Merely this, and nothing more.\" | |
| Out into the darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, | |
| Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; | |
| But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, | |
| And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, \"Lenore!\" | |
| This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, \"Lenore!\"- | |
| Merely this, and nothing 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 someone at my window lattice: | |
| Let me 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 wide I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, | |
| In there stepped a stately Raven 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. | |
| Soon that ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, | |
| By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore. | |
| \"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,\" I said, \"art sure no craven, | |
| Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering on the Nightly shore- | |
| Tell me what thy lordly name is on this Night's Plutonian shore!\" | |
| Quoth the Raven, \"Nevermore.\" | |
| Now the Raven, 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, \"other friends have gone before- | |
| On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.\" | |
| Quoth the Raven, \"Nevermore.\" | |
| Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed by an unseen censer | |
| Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor. | |
| Once more on the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking | |
| Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore- | |
| What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore | |
| Meant in croaking \"Nevermore.\" | |
| \"Prophet!\" said I, \"thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or devil!- | |
| Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, | |
| Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert isle enchanted- | |
| On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore- | |
| Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!\" | |
| Quoth the Raven, \"Nevermore.\" | |
| \"Prophet!\" said I, \"thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or devil! | |
| By that Heaven stretched above us- by that God we both adore- | |
| Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, | |
| It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore- | |
| Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.\" | |
| Quoth the Raven, \"Nevermore.\" | |
| \"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend,\" I shrieked, upstarting- | |
| \"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore! | |
| Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! | |
| Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door! | |
| Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!\" | |
| Quoth the Raven, \"Nevermore.\" | |
| Now the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting | |
| On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; | |
| And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, | |
| And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; | |
| And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor | |
| Will be lifted- nevermore! |
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