miserabile visu: March 2011

Friday, March 4, 2011

Reflections in Suspension

Gustave Dore's Illustration of Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven

The Raven

"Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore."

"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."
"Sorrow for the lost Lenore."
"For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Nameless here for evermore."
"'T is some visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visiter entreating entrance at my chamber door."
"Here I opened wide the door;—

Darkness there, and nothing more."
"Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before."
"'Surely,' said I, 'surely that is something at my window lattice;
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore.'"
"Open here I flung the shutter."
. . . . . . . . "A stately Raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he."
"Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more."
"Wandering from the Nightly shore."
"Till I scarcely more than muttered, 'Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.'"
"Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy."
"But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er
She shall press, ah, nevermore!"
"'Wretch,' I cried, 'thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!'"
"On this home by Horror haunted."
. . . . . . . . . "Tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!"
"Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore."
"'Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!' I shrieked, upstarting."
"'Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!'"
"And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor Shall be lifted—nevermore!"