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. 


Am 

          Am                    G 
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain 
                 F                              G 
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; 
      Am                               C 
Presently, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating, 
             F                         G 
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door – 
      Em                              F 
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door; - 
         G               Am 
This it is, and nothing more." 

G       F       G       Am      C       F       G        

     Am                                 G 
Out into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, 
           F                               G 
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before; 
         Am                             C 
But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, 
         F                             G 
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore?" 
       Em                               F 
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Lenore!" – 
       G                  Am 
Merely this, and nothing more. 

Am 
      Am                              G 
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, 
      F                               G 
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. 
          Am                                C 
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at my window lattice: 
       F                                     G 
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore – 
       Em                               F 
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore; - 
         G                 Am 
'Tis the wind and nothing more." 

Am 
     Am                                           G 
Open wide I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and many flutter, 
          F                              G 
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore; 
         Am                             C 
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he; 
          F                              G 
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door – 
         Em                         F 
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door – 
              G               Am 
Perched, and sat, and nothing more. 

G       F       G       Am      C       F       G 

           Am                          G 
Soon this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, 
        F                             G 
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore. 
             Am                                 C 
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven, 
         F                               G 
Ghastly grim and ancient raven wandering from the Nightly shore – 
        Em                              F 
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!" 
           G            Am 
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." 

Am 
         Am                           G 
But the raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only 
          F                                G 
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour. 
         Am                             C 
Nothing further then he uttered- not a feather then he fluttered – 
        F                                    G 
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other friends have flown before – 
         Em                             F 
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before." 
           G         Am 
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore." 

Am 
          Am                                   G 
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer  
           F                                G 
Swung by seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.  
         Am                           C 
Once more on the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking 
        F                             G 
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore – 
          Em                                  F 
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore 
           G         Am 
Meant in croaking "Nevermore." 

G       F       G       Am      C       F       G 

            Am                                 G 
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! – 
          F                               G 
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore, 
     Am                              C 
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted – 
          F                               G 
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore – 
              Em                                 F 
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!" 
           G          Am 
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." 

Am 
            Am                               G 
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil! 
          F                                   G 
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore – 
            Am                           C 
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn, 
          F                                G 
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore – 
        Em                                 F 
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore." 
           G           Am 
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." 

          Am                               G 
"Be that word our sign in parting, bird or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting – 
          F                             G 
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore! 
           Am                           C 
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken! 
          F                             G 
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above my door! 
          Em                                   F 
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!" 
          G            Am 
Quoth the Raven, "Nevermore." 

         Am                               G 
Now the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting 
        F                          G 
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door; 
        Am                              C 
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, 
           F                                     G 
And the lamplight o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; 
        Em                                  F 
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor 
         G 
Shall be lifted - nevermore! 
  
Am      G       F       G       Am      C        
F       G       G       F       G       Am