The Raven

By Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poe

 

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I 1              , weak and weary,

Over many a 2            and curious volume of forgotten lore-

    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,

As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my 3              door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I 4             , “tapping at my chamber door-

            Only this and nothing more.”

 

    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the 5           December;

And each separate dying ember 6              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 7           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 visitor 8             entrance at my chamber door-

Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;-

            This it is and nothing more.”

 

    Presently my soul grew stronger; 9             then no longer,

“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I 10           ;

    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 11          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 12             —

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 13            Raven of the saintly days of yore;

    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;

    But, with 14           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 15             my sad fancy into smiling,

By the grave and 16           decorum of the countenance it wore,

“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,

17              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 18               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 19             bust, spoke only

That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

    Nothing farther then he 20              -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 21            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 22                     burden bore

            Of ‘Never -nevermore’.”

 

   

 But the Raven still beguiling all my 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 23                bird of yore-

What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore

            Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”

 

    This I sat 24               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 25               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 26                whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

    “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee -by these angels he hath sent thee

    Respite -respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

 

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil! -prophet still, if bird or devil!-

Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land 27                —

    On this home by Horror haunted -tell me truly, I implore-

Is there -is there 28          in Gilead? -tell me -tell me, I implore!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

 

    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil! -prophet still, if bird or devil!

By that Heaven that bends above us -by that God we both adore-

    Tell this soul with sorrow 29             if, within the distant Aidenn,

    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-

Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

 

    “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting-

“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!

    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

    Leave my loneliness unbroken! -quit the bust above my door!

Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”

            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”

 

    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting

On the 30               bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,

    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor

            Shall be lifted -nevermore!

 

Cloze text

 

Select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in the word meaning bank following. Read the poem through carefully before making your choices.  Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter.

 

a-stern: of a strict bearing or demeanor; forbidding in aspect

b- wrought: shaped to fit by altering the contours of a pliable mass

c- mutter (muttered): talk indistinctly; usually in a low voice

d- apt (aptly): being of striking pertinence

e- gloat (gloated): dwell on with satisfaction

f- entreat (entreating): ask for or request earnestly

g- enchanted: influenced as by charms or incantations

h- explore: travel to or penetrate into

i-engage (engaged): consume all of one's attention or time

j- stately: of size and dignity suggestive of a statue

k- laden: burdened psychologically or mentally

l- beguiling: misleading by means of pleasant or alluring methods

m- ponder (pondered): reflect deeply on a subject

n- balm: an aromatic resinous substance used for healing and soothing

ñ- ominous: threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments

o- hesitate (hesitating): pause or hold back in uncertainty or unwillingness

p- scarce: deficient in quantity or number compared with the demand

r- placid: free from disturbance by heavy waves

s- bleak: unpleasantly cold and damp

t- mien : a person's appearance, manner, or demeanor

v- utter (uttered): express in speech

w- radiant: emanating or as if emanating light

x- ghastly: shockingly repellent; inspiring horror

y- chamber: a room used primarily for sleeping

z- melancholy: grave or even gloomy in character

a’- implore: call upon in supplication

b’- ungainly: lacking grace in movement or posture

c’- seraph (Sheraphin): an angel of the first order

d’- quaint: strange in an interesting or pleasing way

e’- pallid: lacking in vitality or interest or effectivenes