The Raven

§0§l The Raven§0 §0 §0 §0 §0 §0 §0 §0 §0§o by§0 §0 §0 §0 Edgar Allan Poe§0

§0 §0§oOriginally transcribed§0 §0§o in the Old World by§0 §0§o Two_Whales.§0

Once upon a midnight§0 §0dreary, while I§0 §0pondered weak and§0 §0weary,§0 §0Over many a quaint§0 §0and curious volume of§0 §0forgotten lore,§0 §0While I nodded, nearly§0 §0napping, suddenly§0 §0there came a tapping,§0 §0As of some one gently§0 §0rapping, rapping§0

forgiveness I implore;§0 §0But the fact is I was§0 §0napping, and so gently§0 §0you came rapping,§0 §0And so faintly you§0 §0came tapping, tapping§0 §0at my chamber door,§0 §0That I scarce was§0 §0sure I heard you' -§0 §0here I opened wide the§0 §0door; -§0

§0And the silken sad§0 §0uncertain rustling of§0 §0each purple curtain§0 §0Thrilled me - filled me§0 §0with fantastic terrors§0 §0never felt before;§0 §0So that now, to still the§0 §0beating of my heart, I§0 §0stood repeating§0 §0`'Tis some visitor§0 §0entreating§0

entrance at my§0 §0chamber door -§0 §0Some late visitor§0 §0entreating entrance at§0 §0my chamber door; -§0 §0This it is, and nothing§0 §0more,'§0 §0Presently my soul§0 §0grew stronger;§0 §0hesitating then no§0 §0longer,§0 §0`Sir,' said I, `or Madam,§0 §0truly your§0

forgiveness I implore;§0 §0But the fact is I was§0 §0napping, and so gently§0 §0you came rapping,§0 §0And so faintly you§0 §0came tapping, tapping§0 §0at my chamber door,§0 §0That I scarce was§0 §0sure I heard you' -§0 §0here I opened wide the§0 §0door; -§0

he; not a minute§0 §0stopped or stayed he;§0 §0But, with mien of lord§0 §0or lady, perched§0 §0above my chamber§0 §0door -§0 §0Perched upon a bust§0 §0of Pallas just above§0 §0my chamber door -§0 §0Perched, and sat, and§0 §0nothing more.§0 §0Then this ebony§0

token,§0 §0And the only word§0 §0there spoken was the§0 §0whispered word,§0 §0`Lenore!'§0 §0This I whispered, and§0 §0an echo murmured§0 §0back the word,§0 §0`Lenore!'§0 §0Merely this and§0 §0nothing more.§0 §0Back into the chamber§0 §0turning, all my§0

flown before -§0 §0On the morrow he will§0 §0leave me, as my hopes§0 §0have flown before.'§0 §0Then the bird said,§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0Startled at the§0 §0stillness broken by§0 §0reply so aptly spoken,§0 §0`Doubtless,' said I,§0 §0`what it utters is its§0 §0only stock and§0

still a moment and this§0 §0mystery explore; -§0 §0'Tis the wind and§0 §0nothing more!'§0 §0Open here I flung the§0 §0shutter, when, with§0 §0many a flirt and§0 §0flutter,§0 §0In there stepped a§0 §0stately raven of the§0 §0saintly days of yore.§0 §0Not the least§0 §0obeisance made§0

he; not a minute§0 §0stopped or stayed he;§0 §0But, with mien of lord§0 §0or lady, perched§0 §0above my chamber§0 §0door -§0 §0Perched upon a bust§0 §0of Pallas just above§0 §0my chamber door -§0 §0Perched, and sat, and§0 §0nothing more.§0 §0Then this ebony§0

ominous bird of yore -§0 §0What this grim,§0 §0ungainly, ghastly,§0 §0gaunt, and ominous§0 §0bird of yore§0 §0Meant in croaking§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0This I sat engaged in§0 §0guessing, but no§0 §0syllable expressing§0 §0To the fowl whose§0 §0fiery eyes now§0

flown before -§0 §0On the morrow he will§0 §0leave me, as my hopes§0 §0have flown before.'§0 §0Then the bird said,§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0Startled at the§0 §0stillness broken by§0 §0reply so aptly spoken,§0 §0`Doubtless,' said I,§0 §0`what it utters is its§0 §0only stock and§0

§0Tell me what thy lordly§0 §0name is on the Night's§0 §0Plutonian shore!'§0 §0Quoth the raven,§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0Much I marvelled this§0 §0ungainly fowl to hear§0 §0discourse so plainly,§0 §0Though its answer§0 §0little meaning - little§0 §0relevancy bore;§0 §0For we cannot

§0`Be that word our sign§0 §0of parting, bird or§0 §0fiend!' I shrieked§0 §0upstarting -§0 §0`Get thee back into the§0 §0tempest and the§0 §0Night's Plutonian§0 §0shore!§0 §0Leave no black plume§0 §0as a token of that lie§0 §0thy soul hath spoken!§0 §0Leave my§0

help agreeing that no§0 §0living human being§0 §0Ever yet was blessed§0 §0with seeing bird above§0 §0his chamber door -§0 §0Bird or beast above§0 §0the sculptured bust§0 §0above his chamber§0 §0door,§0 §0With such name as§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0But the raven,§0

sitting lonely on the§0 §0placid bust, spoke§0 §0only,§0 §0That one word, as if§0 §0his soul in that one§0 §0word he did outpour.§0 §0Nothing further then§0 §0he uttered - not a§0 §0feather then he§0 §0fluttered -§0 §0Till I scarcely more§0 §0than muttered `Other§0 §0friends have§0

burned into my§0 §0bosom's core;§0 §0This and more I sat§0 §0divining, with my head§0 §0at ease reclining§0 §0On the cushion's§0 §0velvet lining that the§0 §0lamp-light gloated o'er,§0 §0But whose velvet violet§0 §0lining with the§0 §0lamp-light gloating§0 §0o'er,§0

vburned into my§0 §0bosom's core;§0 §0This and more I sat§0 §0divining, with my head§0 §0at ease reclining§0 §0On the cushion's§0 §0velvet lining that the§0 §0lamp-light gloated o'er,§0 §0But whose velvet violet§0 §0lining with the§0 §0lamp-light gloating§0 §0o'er,§0

store,§0 §0Caught from some§0 §0unhappy master whom§0 §0unmerciful disaster§0 §0Followed fast and§0 §0followed faster till his§0 §0songs one burden§0 §0bore -§0 §0Till the dirges of his§0 §0hope that melancholy§0 §0burden bore§0 §0Of "Never-nevermore§0

."'§0 §0But the raven still§0 §0beguiling all my sad§0 §0soul into smiling,§0 §0Straight I wheeled a§0 §0cushioned seat in§0 §0front of bird and bust§0 §0and door;§0 §0Then, upon the velvet§0 §0sinking, I betook myself§0 §0to linking§0 §0Fancy unto fancy,§0 §0thinking what this§0

ominous bird of yore -§0 §0What this grim,§0 §0ungainly, ghastly,§0 §0gaunt, and ominous§0 §0bird of yore§0 §0Meant in croaking§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0This I sat engaged in§0 §0guessing, but no§0 §0syllable expressing§0 §0To the fowl whose§0 §0fiery eyes now§0

§0Is there - is there§0 §0balm in Gilead? - tell§0 §0me - tell me, I implore!'§0 §0Quoth the raven,§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0`Prophet!' said I, `thing§0 §0of evil! - prophet still,§0 §0if bird or devil!§0 §0By that Heaven that§0 §0bends above us - by§0 §0that God we both§0 §0adore -§0

burned into my§0 §0bosom's core;§0 §0This and more I sat§0 §0divining, with my head§0 §0at ease reclining§0 §0On the cushion's§0 §0velvet lining that the§0 §0lamp-light gloated o'er,§0 §0But whose velvet violet§0 §0lining with the§0 §0lamp-light gloating§0 §0o'er,§0

§0Tell this soul with§0 §0sorrow laden if, within§0 §0the distant Aidenn,§0 §0It shall clasp a§0 §0sainted maiden whom§0 §0the angels named§0 §0Lenore -§0 §0Clasp a rare and§0 §0radiant maiden, whom§0 §0the angels named§0 §0Lenore?'§0 §0Quoth the raven,§0

`Nevermore.'§0

§0`Be that word our sign§0 §0of parting, bird or§0 §0fiend!' I shrieked§0 §0upstarting -§0 §0`Get thee back into the§0 §0tempest and the§0 §0Night's Plutonian§0 §0shore!§0 §0Leave no black plume§0 §0as a token of that lie§0 §0thy soul hath spoken!§0 §0Leave my§0

§0`Be that word our sign§0 §0of parting, bird or§0 §0fiend!' I shrieked§0 §0upstarting -§0 §0`Get thee back into the§0 §0tempest and the§0 §0Night's Plutonian§0 §0shore!§0 §0Leave no black plume§0 §0as a token of that lie§0 §0thy soul hath spoken!§0 §0Leave my§0

§0Is there - is there§0 §0balm in Gilead? - tell§0 §0me - tell me, I implore!'§0 §0Quoth the raven,§0 §0`Nevermore.'§0 §0`Prophet!' said I, `thing§0 §0of evil! - prophet still,§0 §0if bird or devil!§0 §0By that Heaven that§0 §0bends above us - by§0 §0that God we both§0 §0adore -§0

§0Tell this soul with§0 §0sorrow laden if, within§0 §0the distant Aidenn,§0 §0It shall clasp a§0 §0sainted maiden whom§0 §0the angels named§0 §0Lenore -§0 §0Clasp a rare and§0 §0radiant maiden, whom§0 §0the angels named§0 §0Lenore?'§0 §0Quoth the raven,§0

`Nevermore.'§0

§0`Be that word our sign§0 §0of parting, bird or§0 §0fiend!' I shrieked§0 §0upstarting -§0 §0`Get thee back into the§0 §0tempest and the§0 §0Night's Plutonian§0 §0shore!§0 §0Leave no black plume§0 §0as a token of that lie§0 §0thy soul hath spoken!§0 §0Leave my§0

§0 §0§o Copy by§0 §0 §0 §0§lMaester Flaminius§0 §0§o of§0 §0§l The Assembly§0 §0 §0§o on§0 §0 §0 February 13th§0 §0 §0 2014§0

§0 §0 §0§l Maester§0 §0§l Alliance§0 §0 §0 §0 §4§l The§0 §4§l Assembly§0 §4§l Scriptorium§0