Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1852-07-15
THE RAVEN.
~ raf LATE EDGAR ALLAN POE.

Eagerly wished the morrow ;-vainly sought
to borrow
From my books surcease of sorow-sorrow for
the lost Lenore-
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels
named Lenore-
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each
purple curtain
Thrilled me-illed me with fantastic terrors never
felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I
stood repeating
"Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my
chamber door
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my cham
Der door,
That it is. and nothing more :"
Presently my soul grew stronger: hesitatng then
"sir," said /, "orEMadam, truly your forgiveness
implore;
But the fact is I was mapping, and so gently you
came rapping,
And so family you. came tapping, tapping at my
chamber door,
That scarce was sure l heard you"-hsre
opened wide the door;
Darkness there, and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long stood there
wondering. fearing,
Doubling, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared
to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness
gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whis-
pered word "Lenorev'
This whispered, and an echo murmured back
the word, "Lenore!
Merely this, and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul with
in me burning,
Soon heard again tapping somewhat louder
than before
"Surely" said I, "surely that is something at my
window lattice;
Let me see, then, " hat thereat is, and this mys-
terry explore.
'Tis the wind and nothing more"
Open here I flung the shutter, when with many a
firt and futter,
In there stepped stately raven Of the sanity
days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant
stopped or stayed he;
But, withmen of lord or lady, perched above m,
chamber door ..... a.. 81. . ....
Perched upon bust of Pallas lust above m,
chamber door
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguilng my sad fancy into
smiling,
BY the grave and stern decorum of the counte
nance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou"
said, cart sure no craven,
GhaStly, grim and ancient raven wandering fror
the, nightly shore
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night
Plutonian shore!'
Quoth the raven "Nevermore"
Much marvelled this unganly fowl to hear dis
course so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning-little relevanc
bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living hu
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above h
chamber door;
Bird or beast upon the Scnlptured bust above h
chamber door,
.. With such name as "Nevermore."
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bus
spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word
did outpour.
Nothing farther then he uttered-not a fsath
then he futtered-
Till | scarcely more than muttered, "0ther frien
have flown before;
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hop
have flown before.''
Then the bird said, "Neyemore."
Startled at the stiffness broken by reply 10 apt
spoken,
Doubtless" said !, "what it utters is its on
stock and store,
Caught from some unhappy master, whom u
merciful disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his son
one burden bore
Till the dirgeS of his Hope.that melancholy bu
den bore
OF "Neyer-neyermoren
Butthe raven still beguiling all my sad soul ir
smiling,
Straight wheeled cushioned seat in front
bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, betook mys
to thinking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this omino
bird of yore--
What this grim, ungainly, CHASTITY, gaunt, a
ominous bird Of yore
Meant in croakng "Nevemore."
Thus sat engaged in guessing, but no syllal
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into
bosom's core;
This and more sat divining, with my head
ease reclining
On the cushions velvet lining that the lampli
gloated Ger,
She shall press, ali, never morel
Then methought the air grew denser, perfur
from an unseen censeT,
Swung by angels whose faint footballs tnkled
the tufted floor.
"Wretchl" cried, s'thy God hath lent thee
these angels he hath sent thee
Respite-respite and nepenthe from thy memo
of Lenore!
Quaff. oh qusff this kind nepenthe and forget
lost Lenorep'
b Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."
"Prophetp said I, "Thipg Of evil-prophet 81
If bird or dewitt
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tos
thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert
enchanted
On this home by horror haunted-tell me trul
implore--
Is there--is there balm in Gileadl-tell me-
me-Iimplorel' ALL
-. Quotb the raven, "Nevemore."
prophet" said /, ching of evil-prophet S
r If bird or devil!
BY that heaven that bends above us--by that
we both adore
Tell this soul with sorrow laden, ifwthiu the
tspt Aidcnn,