Once upon a midnight dreary,
while I pondered weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore -
While I nodded,
nearly napping,
suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping,
rapping at my chamber door.
"'Tis some visitor,"
I muttered,
"tapping at my chamber door,
Only this 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."

And the Raven,
never flitting,
still is sitting,
still is sitting
On the pallid 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!