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