Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary,
Over a many quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, at my chamber door.
"Tis some visitor,' I muttered, rapping at my chamber door.
"Tis some visitor,' I muttered, once more, only this and nothing more
I remember, it was bleak December.
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 call Lenore.
For the rare and radiant maiden,
Nameless here forever more.
Suddenly my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
Surely said I, that is a caller knocking
Let me see who would be there, knocking ever so faintly at my home...
Here I open wide the door"
Darkness there,
And nothing more...
Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Dreaming the dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.
Back into the chamber turning,
All my soul within me burning,
"Surely" said I, that is a caller knocking
Let me see what thereat is,
Let this mystery be explored,
Let my heart be still for just a moment
'Tis the wind and nothing more!
Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and a flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!
Prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us,
By that God who sits on his white throne,
Tell this soul, with sorrow laden,
If within the Night's Plutonian shore
Rests her there on unhallowed beaches, my angel named Lenore?
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, from the Night's Plutonian shore,
On this home by horror haunted, tell me truly, I implore."
On the bust of Pallas seated,
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
Be that word our sign of parting bird or fiend
Get thee back into the tempest, get thee hence, away from me
Leave no black plume as a token
Of the Lie, thy soul has spoken
Leave my loneliness unbroken
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."