Once upon a midnight dreary, as I pondered, weak and Over many a and curious volume of forgotten lore While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a As if some one gently rapping, at my chamber door "Tis some visitor," I muttered, tapping at my chamber door this Only and nothing more
Muttering I got up weakly, always I've had trouble Stumbling upright my mind racing, furtive thoughts flowing once I there for some sunrise, happiness would be a surprise no longer a prize, rapping at my chamber door Seeking out the clever bore, lost in dreams forever Only and nothing more
my pulse was racing, stale tobacco my lips tasting Scotch sitting upon my basin, of the night before Came again infernal on the door, in my mind jabbing Is it in or outside rapping, out to me once more The fit and of Lenore, nameless here forever more And the silken sad uncertain, rustling of the purple Thrilled me, me
With fantastic terrors never before, so that now, oh wind Stop breathing, yet to calm my breathing 'Tis some entreating, entrance at my chamber door Some lost visitor entreating, entrance at my door This is it, and nothing more, deep the darkness peering I stood there, wondering fearing, doubting dreaming fantasies No mortal to dream before But the silence was unbroken, and the gave no token And the only word there spoken, was the whispered name,
This I thought in out loud whispered my lips The name festered, echoing itself merely this, and nothing more into my chamber turning, every nerve within me burning When once again I heard a tapping, somewhat louder than "Surely," said I, surely that is something at my iron Open the door to see what is, open that window, free the shutters Let us mystery explore, Oh! bursting heart be still this once And let this mystery it is the wind and nothing more
one Epithet I muttered as inside, I gagged and shuddered When with manly flirt and flutter, in flew a stately raven Sleek and ravenous as any foe, not the obeisance made he Not a minutes towards me, of recognition or politeness But perched above my chamber door, this and salivating visage with its knowledge, perched above my chamber door Silent sat and staring nothing more, a-skance,
The sad fancy smiles at you I swear, at this savage viscous it wears, though you show here scorn and shaven and I admit myself forlorn and craven, grim and ancient raven Wandering from the shores, tell me, what Thy Lordly is? That you are not nightmare sewage dire powdered drink or inhalation Framed from of downtown lore stroke the raven never more
And the raven sitting lonely, staring at my male sex only That one as if his soul in that one word, he did outpour, pathetic Nothing farther than he uttered, not a feather then he Till finally was I that muttered as I stared, dully at the friends have flown and left me Flown as each and every hope has flown And as you no doubt before tomorrow But the bird said more
Then I the air grow denser, perfumed from some unseen incense As though accepting angelic intrusion, when in I felt collusion Before the guise, of false respite Respite through the haze of cocaine's I and I smoke the blue vial's glory To forget at once, the base Stroke the never more said I, thing of evil, Prophet still, if bird or devil By that Heaven that bend above us, by that God we both Tell this soul sorrow laden, willful and destructive intent
How had lapsed a pure heart lady, to the of needs arrogant dick less liar, who ascribed to nothing higher Than a jab from prick to a needle, straight to betrayal and The conscience showing not a trace, stroke the raven never Be word our sign of parting Bird or fiend," I upstarting, get thee back into the tempest Into the smoke filled bottle's shore, leave no plume as a token Of the slime thy soul hath spoken, leave my loneliness
Quit as those have quit before, the talon from my heart And see that I can care no more, whatever mattered before I vanished with the Lenore, stroke the raven never more But the raven, never is sitting silent sitting, above a painting silent painting Of the forever whole and his eyes have all the seeming Of a demon's is dreaming, and the lamplight over him Streaming throws his shadow to the I love she Who hates me more, I she who hates me more And my soul shall not be from that shadow nevermore