XCVI AUTUMN A Dirge HE warm sun is failing, the bleak wind is wailing, dying; And the year On the earth; her death-bed, in a shroud of leaves dead Is lying. Come, Months, come away, From November to May, In your saddest array, Of the dead cold year, And like dim shadows watch by her sepulchre. The chill rain is falling, the nipt worm is crawling, The blithe swallows are flown, and the lizards each gone To his dwelling. Come, Months, come away; Let your light sisters play; Of the dead cold year, And make her grave green with tear on tear. P. B. Shelley Ο XCVII THE RAVEN NCE 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 mutter'd, 'tapping at my chamber door Only this and nothing more.' Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak Decem ber, And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wish'd the morrow; - vainly had I 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 Thrill'd 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 im plore ; 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 open'd wide the door; Darkness there, and nothing more. Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the darkness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whisper'd word Lenore !' This I whisper'd, and an echo murmur'd back the word 'Lenore' Merely this, and nothing more. Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning, Soon I heard again 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 a shutter, when with many a flirt and flutter In there stepp'd a stately raven of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made he; not an instant stopp'd or stay'd he; But with mien of lord or lady, perch'd above my chamber door Perch'd upon a bust of Pallas, just above my chamber door Perch'd 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 marvell'd 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 sculptur'd bust above his chamber door, With such a 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 farther then he utter'd - not a feather then he flutter'd Till I scarcely more than mutter'd, 'Other friends have 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 Follow'd fast and follow'd faster, till his songs one burden bore Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden |