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