Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1916-03-02
THE RAVEN

j IL ma v LIN
Once upon a midnight dreary, while pondered. weak and weary
Over many a quaint and curioas volume of forgotten lore.
While / nodded, nearly mapping, suddenly there came a tapping.
AS of someone gently rapping.rapping at my chamber door;
:" It's son visitor 1 muttered, tapping Al my chamber door;
Only this and nothing more"
All. distinctly 1 remember, it was in the bleak December,
And each separate. dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly wished the morrow; vainiy had sought to borrow
From my surcease of sorrow. sorrow for the lost Lenore.
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels named Lenore.
Namdess here forever more.
And in the siken, sad. uncertain rusing of each purple curtain
Thrilled me, filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating Of my heart. L stood repeating.
TITS ONE visitor entreatine 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; hesitating then no longer
Sir said ]. or madam, truly your forgiveness implore;
But the fact is a mapping and SO gently you came rappine,
And so family you ear tapping. tapping at my chamber door.
That scarce a sure heard you" Here ropened wide the door,
Darkness there. and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering, long l stood there. wondering. fearing.
Doubling. dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence a unboken and the stiffness gave no token.
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word. 'Lenore;"
This Whispered. asa echo murmured back the word. "Lenore."
Merely this. and nothing more.
Back into my chamber turning. all my soul within me burning,
Soon again l heard d tapping, something louder than before.
Surely" said i. surely, that ISIS something at my window lattice;
Let m e see, then, what thereat it's. and this mystery explore;
Let my heart be still a moment. and this mystery explore:
'Ts the wind, and nothing more"
Open here flung the shutter, when, with many a frt and hutter,
In there stepped a stately raven. of the sanity days of gore.
Not least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped OF stmd he;
But with mien of lord or lady, perched above m chamber door.
ACiSHSu dpoHa puSso VI aAho'J uoI dpo's "y SHhHpsI uVoT,
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebon bird begulng my sad fancy into smiling.
By the grave and stern decoum of the countenancc it wore.
Though thy crest be shorn and shaver, thou l said. arts ur NJ craven.
Chastity. grim. an ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore.
Tell me what thy lordly namei is o the Nights Plutonian shore"
Quoth the Raven. '"Nevermore"
Much / marveled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse sc 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 scuIptured bust above his chamber door.
With such name a "Evermore"
But the raven. sitting lonely OF that placid bust, spoke only
That one word as if his soul iii that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered; not a feather then he huttered;
Till scarcely more than mutered Other friends have flown before;
Then the bird said. "Nevermore.'
Startled at the stiffness broken by reply SO APPLY spoken.
Doubtless" said ]. 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 beguiGng all my sad soul into smiling.
Straight whired a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, / betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore,..
What this grim. ungainly, CHASTITY eaunt ard ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore"
Thus sat engaged in guessing. but no syllable expressing
To the fowl, whose fiery eyes nov burned into mine bosom's core:
This and more sat divinins. with my head at ease reclining
On the cushions velvet lining that the lamplght gloated DER.
But whose velvet violet lining with the lampight goating Ger,
She shall press. ali. nevermore
Then methought. the air grew denser, perfumed from a unseen censor.
Swung by Seraphim whose footballs tinkled IN the tufted floor.
Wretch" 1 cried. thy God has lent thee, by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenorel
Quaf. O auaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenorel"
Quoth the raven "Neyermore."
Prophet" said /, thing of eyil-prophet still, if bird or devil.
Whether tempter sent II whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate, yet all undaunted, or this desert land enchanted
On this home by Horror haunted = tell m lie truly, l implore-
Is there's there balm in Gnead?-tel me-truly tell me- imphnr
Quoth the raven. "Nevermore"
Prophet said l. thing of evil prophet still, if bird or devil,
By that heaven that bends above us-by that God W. both adore
Tell this soul with sorrow laden. if within the distant Alden.
1t shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels nameL enore-
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels name Ienore2"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore"
Be that word our sign of parting bird or fend!' Ishriekel, pstartinp-
Get thee back into the tempest and the nights Pluton.an suore!
Leave n o black plume a a token Of that lie thy soul hath SPOKEN!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!-qutt the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart. and take thy form from off nv doori"
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore.'
And the raven. neye fitting. still is sitting, still is sitting
On the paIid bust of Panas just above my chamber door:
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demons that is dreaming:
And the lampight DER him streaming throws his shadow on the floor.
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating IN the floor.
Shall be hfted-neyermore!
e Shown at Crystal Theatre Saturday and Sun
a Peculiar Form at Times, Insane.
at Dinner. II went down 70 nm east cid