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Raven

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Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven"
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, sudden ly 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."
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; – va inly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow
– sorrow for the lost Lenore –
For the rare and radiant 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 fantas tic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
"'Tis some visitor entreating ent rance at my chamber door –
Some late visitor entreating ent rance at my chamber door; –
This it is and nothing more."
Presently my soul grew st ronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, trul y your forgiveness I implore;
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 scarce 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 dream s 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 so

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