The Raven Quotes

“Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting

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

“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!

“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster

In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;

“Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore...”

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore –

And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.

“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.”

“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil! – prophet still, if bird or devil! –
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,

From my books surcease of sorrow – sorrow for the lost Lenore –
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore –

And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted – nevermore

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning

“Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;”

“Leave my loneliness unbroken”

“Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.”