Grief The raven, according to Poe, was a sign of mourning, notably "mournful and never-ending recall." He picked a raven over a parrot (a bird species better recognized for its capacity to talk) because he believed it matched the poem's somber tone better. Parrots are known for their bright colors and melodic voices -- attributes that contrast sharply with the black dress and silence of the grave. Other poets have used animals to symbolize different emotions, from love to anger. Shakespeare used horses to represent passion and lions for courage. Poe took this concept one step further by having the animal act as a voice of warning or complaint. In this case, it is a cry for help: "O Raven! O Nightingale!" It can be seen as an attempt to connect with his lost love through the medium of poetry. Also relevant is the fact that birds are not normally found at gravesites. This would have been especially true in 1827 when Poe wrote "The Raven" -- before rabies had been discovered, people didn't realize how dangerous they were. As a result, most animals that came into contact with them died. However, there is one exception to this rule: if you visit Baltimore's Camden Cemetery, you will find a large number of ravens nesting in the surrounding trees.