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to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow - sorrow for
the lost Lenore
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels
name Lenore
Nameless _here_ for evermore.
And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple
curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never
felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood
repeating
"Tis some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber
door
Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber
door;
This it is and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no
longer,
"Sir", said I, "or Madam, truly your forgiveness
I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came
rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my
chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you" - here I opened
wide the door;
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 stillness gave
no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered
word, "Lenore?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the
word, "Lenore!"
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me
burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than
before.
"Surely", said I, "surely that is something at my
window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery
explore
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery
explore;
'Tis the wind and nothing more!"
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 a minute stopped
or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my
chamber door
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber
door
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,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou", I said,
"art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from
the Nightly shore
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's
Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Raven "Nevermore."
Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse
so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy
bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human
being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his
chamber door
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his
chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."
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 uttered - not a feather then
he fluttered
Till I scarcely more than muttered "Other friends have
flown before
On the morrow _he_ will leave me, as my Hopes have
flown before."
Then the bird said "Nevermore."
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly
spoken,
"Doubtless", said I, "what 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 bore
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never - nevermore.'"
But the Raven still beguiling my sad fancy 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 yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous
bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."
Thus I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable
expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my
bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease
reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light
gloated o'er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light
gloating o'er,
_She_ shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from
an unseen censer
Swung by seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the
tufted floor.
"Wretch", I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these