The+Raven+Text

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 some one gently rapping, rapping 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 the 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 named 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; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating `'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">This it is, and nothing more,'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Sir,' said I, `or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">That I scarce was sure I heard you' - here I opened wide the door; - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Darkness there, and nothing more.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, `Lenore!' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Merely this and nothing more.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Surely,' said I, `surely that is something at my window lattice; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Let me see then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">'Tis the wind and nothing more!'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,' I said, `art sure no craven. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the nightly shore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">With such name as `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Nothing further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Then the bird said, `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Doubtless,' said I, `what it utters is its only stock and store, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful disaster <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Of "Never-nevermore."'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">She shall press, ah, nevermore!

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked upstarting - <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore! <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door! <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!' <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'

<span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor <span style="display: block; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; text-align: center;">Shall be lifted - nevermore!