De Raben
1845
Oss upon a midnite dre, while I pondehed, uh uh uh uh, webuhak 'n webuh,
Obeh many a kait 'n curious bolume of f'gotten lore-
While I nobbed, uh uh uh uh, near nappigg, subben dehe came a tappigg,
As of some one gent rappigg, rappigg at my chambeh door.
"'T is some bisitor," I muttehed, uh uh uh uh, "tappigg at my chambeh door-
On dis 'n nodigg more."
Ah, distinct I remembeh it was in de ggleak Decembeh;
And each seprit dyigg embeh wrought its ghost upon the, uh uh uh, floor.
Eageh I wishid de morrow;-bain I had sought t' borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow-sorrow f' de lost Lenore-
F' de rare 'n radiant maiden whom de angels namid Lenore-
Nameless hehe f' ebehmore.
And the, ERRRR, silken, sad, uh uh uh uh, ussertain rustligg of each purble curtain
Drillid me-fillid me wid fantastic tehrors nebeh felt bef'e;
So dat now, uh uh uh uh uh uh, t' still de beatigg of my heart, uh, I stood repeatigg
"'T is some bisitor entreatigg entrass at my chambeh door-
Some late bisitor entreatigg entrass at my chambeh door;-
Dis it is 'n nodigg more."
Present my soul grew strongeh; hesitatigg den no longeh,
"Sir," said I, "or Madam, tru your f'gibeness I iplore;
But the, uh uh uh, fack is I was nappigg, 'n so gent you came rappigg,
And so fait you came tappigg, tappigg at my chambeh door,
Dat I scarce was sure I heard you"-hehe I openid wide the, uhhh, door;-
Darkness dehe 'n nodigg more.
Deep into the, uhhh, darkness peehigg, long I stood dehe wondehigg, fearigg,
Doutigg, dreamigg dreams no mortal ebeh darid to dream bef'e;
But the, ERRRR, siless was unbroke, 'n the, ERRRR, stillness gabe no token,
And de on word dehe spoken was the, uh, the whispehid word, uh uh uh uh, "Lenore! Huh huh!"
Dis I whispehed, uh uh uh uh, 'n an echo murmurid back the, uh, the word "Lenore! Huh huh!"
Mehe dis 'n nodigg more.
Back into the, errr, chambeh turnigg, all my soul widin me burnigg,
Soon again I heard a tappigg somewhat loudeh dan bef'e.
"Sure," said I, "sure dat is somedigg at my window lattice;
Let me see, uh uh uh, den, what deheat is, duuhhhh, 'n dis myssehy explore-
Let my heart be still a momin 'n dis myssehy explore;-
'T is the, uh, the wind 'n nodigg more! Huh huh!"
Open hehe I flung the, ERRRR, shutteh, when wid many a flirt 'n flutteh
In dehe steppid a state Raben of the, ERRRR, sait days of yore.
Not de least obeisass made he; not a minoot stoppid or stayid he;
But, uh, wid mien of lord or lady, pehchid abobe my chambeh door-
Pehchid upon a bust of Pallas dgust abobe my chambeh door-
Pehched, uh uh uh uh, 'n sat, uh, 'n nodigg more.
Den dis ebony bird beguiligg my sad fancy into smiligg,
By de grabe 'n stehn decorum of the, errr, countenass it wore, uh uh uh,
"Dough dy crest be shorn 'n shaben, dou," I said, uh uh uh uh, "art sure no craben,
Ghast grim 'n ancient Raben wandehigg from de Nite shore-
Tell me what dy lord name is on de Nite's Plutonian shore! Huh huh!"
Kod de Raben, "Nebehmore."
Much I marbellid dis ungain fowl t' hear discusse so plain,
Dough its answebuhr little meanigg-little relebancy bore;
F' webuh cannot help agreeigg dat no libigg human beigg
Ebeh yet was gglessid wid seeigg bird abobe his chambeh door-
Bird or beast upon the, ERRRR, sculpturid bust abobe his chambeh door,
Wid such name as "Nebehmore."
But de Raben, sittigg lone on de placid bust, uh, spoke only
Dat word, uh uh uh uh, as if his soul in dat one word he did outpour.
Nodigg fardeh den he uttehed-not a feadeh den he fluttehed-
Till I scarce more dan muttehid "Odeh friends habe flown bef'e-
On de morrow he will lee me, uh uh uh, as my hopes habe flown bef'e."
Den de bird said "Nebehmore."
Startlid at the, ERRRR, stillness broke by rep so app spoken,
"Doutless, duuhhhh," said I, "what it uttehs is its on stock 'n store
Caught from some unhappy masteh whom unmehciful Disasteh
Follid fast 'n follid fasteh till his songs one burden bore-
Till the, uhhh, dirges of his Hope dat melancho burden bore
Of 'Nebeh-nebehmore.'"
But de Raben still beguiligg all my fancy into smiligg,
Straite I wheelid a cushionid seat in front of bird, uh uh uh uh, 'n bust 'n door;
Den, upon de belbet sinkigg, I betook myself t' linkigg
Fancy unto fancy, dinkigg what dis ominous bird of yore-
What dis grim, ungain, ghast, gaunt, uh, 'n ominous bird of yore
Meant in croakigg "Nebehmore."
Dis I sat engagid in guessigg, but no syllaggle expressigg
T' the, uh uh uh, fowl whose fiehy ahs now burnid into my bosom's core;
Dis 'n more I sat dibinigg, wid my gord at ease reclinigg
On the, errr, cushion's belbet linigg dat de lamp-lite gloatid o'eh,
But whose belbet biolet linigg wid de lamp-lite gloatigg o'eh,
She shall press, duuhhhh, ah, nebehmore! Huh huh!
Den, medought, uh, de air grew denseh, pehfumid from an unseen censeh
Swung by Sehaphim whose foot-falls tinklid on the, duh uhh, tuftid floor.
"Wretch," I cried, uh uh uh uh, "dy God had lent dee-by dese angels he had sent dee
Repite-repite 'n nepenthe, uh uh uh, from dy memories of Lenore;
Kaff, uh uh uh uh uh, oh kaff dis kind nepende 'n f'get dis lost Lenore! Huh huh!"
Kod de Raben "Nebehmore."
"Prophet! COOOL MAN!" said I, "digg of ebil! Doihh, COOL!-prophet still, if bird or debil! Doihh, COOL!
By dat Heen dat bends abobe us-by dat God webuh bod adore-
Tell dis soul wid sorrow laden if, uh uh uh uh uh, widin the, uhhh, distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a saitid maiden whom de angels name Lenore-
Clasp a rare 'n radiant maiden whom de angels name Lenore."
Kod de Raben "Nebehmore."
"Be dat word our sign of partigg, bird or fiend! Huh huh!" I shrieked, uh uh uh uh, upstartigg-
"Get dee back into the, duh uhh, tempest 'n de Nite's Plutonian shore! Huh huh!
Lee no black plume as a token of dat lie dy soul had spoken! Doihh, COOL!
Lee my loneliness unbroke! Doihh, COOL!-kit de bust abobe my door! Doihh, COOL!
Take dy beak from out my heart, uh, 'n take dy f'm from off my door! Doihh, COOL!"
Kod de Raben "Nebehmore."
And de Raben, nebeh flittigg, still is sittigg, still is sittigg
On de pallid bust of Pallas dgust abobe my chambeh door;
And his ahs habe all the, ERRRR, seemigg of a demon's dat is dreamigg,
And de lamp-lite o'eh him streamigg drows his shadow on the, uh uh uh, floor;
And my soul from out dat shadow dat lies floatigg on the, uh uh uh, floor
Shall be liffed-nebehmore! Huh huh!
~Ejar A. Poe