The Raven + 

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary, + 

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten loreвБ†вАФ + 

While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, + 

As of some one gently rappingвБ†вАФrapping at my chamber door. + 

вАЬвАКвАЩTis some visitor,вАЭ I muttered, вАЬtapping at my chamber doorвБ†вАФ + 

Only this and nothing more.вАЭ + 

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;вБ†вАФvainly I had sought to borrow + 

From my books surcease of sorrowвБ†вАФsorrow for the lost LenoreвБ†вАФ + 

For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name LenoreвБ†вАФ + 

Nameless here for evermore. + 

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain + 

Thrilled meвБ†вАФfilled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; + 

So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating + 

вАЬвАКвАЩTis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber doorвБ†вАФ + 

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;вБ†вАФ + 

This it is, and nothing more.вАЭ + 

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, + 

вАЬSir,вАЭ said I, вАЬor Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore; + 

But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping, + 

And so faintly you came tappingвБ†вАФtapping at my chamber doorвБ†вАФ + 

That I scarce was sure I heard youвАЭвБ†вАФhere I opened wide the door:вБ†вАФ + 

Darkness there and nothing more. + 

Deep into that 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 darkness gave no token, + 

And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, вАЬLenore!вАЭ + 

This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, вАЬLenore!вАЭ + 

Merely this and nothing more. + 

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, + 

Soon I heard again a tapping, somewhat louder than before. + 

вАЬSurely,вАЭ said I, вАЬsurely that is something at my window lattice; + 

Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery exploreвБ†вАФ + 

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;вБ†вАФ + 

вАЩTis the wind and nothing more.вАЭ + 

Open here 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 an instant stopped or stayed he; + 

But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber doorвБ†вАФ + 

Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber doorвБ†вАФ + 

Perched, and sat, and nothing more. + 

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, + 

By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore, + 

вАЬThough thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,вАЭ I said, вАЬart sure no craven, + 

Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shoreвБ†вАФ + 

Tell me what thy lordly name is on the NightвАЩs Plutonian shore!вАЭ + 

Quoth the Raven, вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly, + 

Though its answer little meaningвБ†вАФlittle relevancy bore; + 

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being + 

Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber doorвБ†вАФ + 

Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door, + 

With such name as вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

But 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 farther then he utteredвБ†вАФnot a feather then he flutteredвБ†вАФ + 

Till I scarcely more than muttered, вАЬOther friends have flown beforeвБ†вАФ + 

On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.вАЭ + 

Then the bird said, вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, + 

вАЬDoubtless,вАЭ said I, вАЬwhat it utters is its only stock and store, + 

Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster + 

Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden boreвБ†вАФ + 

Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore + 

OfвБ†вАФвАШNeverвБ†вАФnevermore.вАЩвАКвАЭ + 

But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, + 

Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door; + 

Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking + 

Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yoreвБ†вАФ + 

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore + 

Meant in croaking вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing + 

To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosomвАЩs core; + 

This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining + 

On the cushionвАЩs velvet lining that the lamplight gloated oвАЩer, + 

But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating oвАЩer, + 

She shall press, ah, nevermore! + 

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer + 

Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor. + 

вАЬWretch,вАЭ I cried, вАЬthy God hath lent theeвБ†вАФby these angels he hath sent thee + 

RespiteвБ†вАФrespite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore! + 

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!вАЭ + 

Quoth the Raven, вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

вАЬProphet!вАЭ said I, вАЬthing of evil!вБ†вАФprophet still, if bird or devil!вБ†вАФ + 

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, + 

Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchantedвБ†вАФ + 

On this home by Horror hauntedвБ†вАФtell me truly, I imploreвБ†вАФ + 

Is thereвБ†вАФis there balm in Gilead?вБ†вАФtell meвБ†вАФtell me, I implore!вАЭ + 

Quoth the Raven, вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

вАЬProphet!вАЭ said I, вАЬthing of evil!вБ†вАФprophet still, if bird or devil! + 

By that Heaven that bends above usвБ†вАФby that God we both adoreвБ†вАФ + 

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, + 

It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name LenoreвБ†вАФ + 

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.вАЭ + 

Quoth the Raven, вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

вАЬBe that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!вАЭ I shrieked, upstartingвБ†вАФ + 

вАЬGet thee back into the tempest and the NightвАЩs Plutonian shore! + 

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! + 

Leave my loneliness unbroken!вБ†вАФquit the bust above my door! + 

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!вАЭ + 

Quoth the Raven, вАЬNevermore.вАЭ + 

And 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 demonвАЩs that is dreaming, + 

And the lamplight oвАЩer him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; + 

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor + 

Shall be liftedвБ†вАФnevermore! + 