The Raven. By Edgar Alan Poe (1845)

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I had now gone so far as the conception of a Raven — the bird of ill omen — monotonously repeating the one word, "Nevermore," at the conclusion of each stanza, in a poem of melancholy tone, and in length about one hundred lines. Now, never losing sight of the object supremeness, or perfection, at all points, I asked myself — "Of all melancholy topics, what, according to the universal understanding of mankind, is the mostmelancholy?" Death — was the obvious reply. "And when," I said, "is this most melancholy of topics most poetical?" From what I have already explained at some length, the answer, here also, is obvious — "When it most closely allies itself to Beauty: the death, then, of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world — and equally is it beyond doubt that the lips best suited for such topic are those of a bereaved lover." 
I had now to combine the two ideas, of a lover lamenting his deceased mistress and a Raven continuously repeating the word "Nevermore" — I had to combine these, bearing in mind my design of varying, at every turn, the application of the word repeated; but the only intelligible mode of such combination is that of imagining the Raven employing the word in answer to the queries of the lover. And here it was that I saw at once the opportunity afforded for the effect on which I had been depending — that is to say, the effect of the variation of application. I saw that I could make the first query propounded by the lover — the first query to which the Raven should reply "Nevermore" — that I could make this first query a commonplace one — the second less so — the third still less, and so on — until at length the lover, startled from his original nonchalance by the melancholy character of the word itself — by its frequent repetition — and by a consideration of the ominous reputation of the fowl that uttered it — is at length excited to superstition, and wildly propounds queries of a far different character — queries whose solution he has passionately at heart — propounds them half in superstition and half in that species of despair which delights in self-torture — propounds them not altogether because he believes in the prophetic or demoniac character of the bird (which, reason assures him, is merely repeating a lesson learned by rote) but because he experiences a phrenzied pleasure in so modeling his questions as to receive from the expected "Nevermore" the most delicious because the most intolerable of sorrow. Perceiving the opportunity thus afforded me — or, more strictly, thus forced upon me in the progress of the construction — I first established in mind the climax, or concluding query — that to which "Nevermore" should be in the last place an answer — that in reply to which this word "Nevermore" should involve the utmost conceivable amount of sorrow and despair. (Edgar Alan Poe. Excerpt from ¨The Philosophy of Composition¨. 1846)

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, 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."

    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;- vainly 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 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 chamber door;-

                This it is, and nothing more."

    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

  "Sir," said I, "or Madam, truly 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 dreams no mortals 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 somewhat louder than before.

    "Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice:

    Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore-

  Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-

                'Tis the wind 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."

    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,

  Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;

    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

    Ever yet was blest with seeing bird above his chamber door-

  Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,

                With such name as "Nevermore."

    But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only

  That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.

    Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered-

    Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown

        before-

  On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."

                Then the bird said, "Nevermore."

     Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,

  "Doubtless," said I, "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 beguiling all my fancy into smiling,

  Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and

        door;

    Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking

    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore-

  What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore

                Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

  To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;

    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining

    On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamplight gloated o'er,

  But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,

                She shall press, ah, nevermore!

    Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer

  Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.

    "Wretch," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee- by these angels he

        hath sent thee

    Respite- respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Lenore!

  Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!"

                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if bird or

        devil!-

  Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted-

    On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore-

  Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"

                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    "Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if bird or

        devil!

  By that Heaven that bends above us- by that God we both adore-

    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,

    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore-

  Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore."

                Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore."

    "Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked,

        upstarting-

  "Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!

    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!

    Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door!

  Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my

        door!"

               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 lamplight 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!