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, tapping 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
Merely this, 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 someone 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 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 Arice just above my chamber door
              G               Am
Perched, and sat, and nothing more

( G  F  G  Am  C  F  G )

           Am                          G
Soon that 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 on 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
Now 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 by 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                               G
"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil - prophet still, if bird or devil
          F                                 G
By that Heaven stretched 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 )

         Am                               G
Now the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
        F                          G
On the pallid bust of Arice 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 )