The Raven

Once, on a dark, sad midnight, I sat alone and thought, weak and tired, and I read many strange old books. It was a cold night in December. The fire was almost out, and I was almost asleep. Suddenly I heard a soft knock at my door. “It’s only a visitor,” I said quietly, “and nothing more.”

I was reading to forget Lenore, the beautiful young woman that I loved. Lenore was dead, and the books did not help me. I was still very sad.

The purple curtains moved softly in the dark room. I felt afraid, more afraid than ever before. My heart was beating fast, so I said again and again, “It’s only a late visitor at my door. That’s all it is, and nothing more.”

After a while, I felt stronger. “Sir or Madam,” I said, “I’m very sorry. I was sleeping, and you knocked so softly. I wasn’t sure that I heard you.” Then I opened the door wide. There was darkness there and nothing more.

I looked into the darkness for a long time. I was afraid. But everything was quiet, and nothing moved. I said only one word, very quietly: “Lenore?” Then the same word came back to me: “Lenore!” Only this, and nothing more.

I went back into my room, and I felt very strange. Soon I heard another knock, louder than before. “That’s something at my window,” I said. “I’ll look and find the answer. It’s only the wind, and nothing more.”

I opened the window, and a big black bird walked in. It was a raven. It was proud, like a lord or a lady. It didn’t stop for a minute. It flew up above my door. There was a white statue there, the head of Pallas, a goddess from old stories. The raven sat on it, and nothing more.

The black bird looked so serious that I almost smiled. “You look very old, Raven,” I said. “You came here from the dark night. Tell me, what is your name?” The Raven said, “Nevermore.”

I was very surprised that a bird could talk so clearly.

The raven sat alone on the statue and said nothing more. It didn’t move a feather. Then I said very quietly, “My friends have all left me. Tomorrow you will leave me too, like my hopes.” Then the bird said, “Nevermore.”

I moved a soft chair in front of the bird and the door. What did it mean when it said “Nevermore”? The bird’s eyes were bright like fire, and they looked right at me. Lenore once sat on this soft purple chair. But she will sit here nevermore!

Then the air smelled sweet, and I felt that angels were near. “Maybe God has sent me something to help me,” I cried. “Maybe I can forget Lenore now!” The Raven said, “Nevermore.”

“Tell me one more thing,” I said. “Will I hold Lenore again one day in heaven? Will I hold my beautiful Lenore?” The Raven said, “Nevermore.”