The Raven - Edgar Allan Poe
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 named Lenore -
Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled 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 implore;
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 opened 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 whispered word, `Lenore!'
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, `Lenore!'
Merely this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard 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 the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door -
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door -
Perched, 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 marvelled 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 blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door -
Bird or beast above the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such 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 further then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered -
Till I scarcely more than muttered `Other friends have flown before -
On the morrow will he 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
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Never-nevermore."'
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking `Nevermore.'
This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
`Wretch,' I cried, `thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he has sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore!
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Lenore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there balm in Gilead? - tell me - tell me, I implore!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`Prophet!' said I, `thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels named Lenore -
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the angels named Lenore?'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
`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!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! - quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!'
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.'
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!
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Gavran - Edgar Alan Po
Jednom jedne strašne noći, ja zamišljah u samoći,
Čitah crne, prašne knjige, koje staro znanje skriše;
Dok sam u san skoro pao, netko mi je zakucao,
Na vrata mi zakucao - zakucao tiho - tiše -
"To je putnik" ja promrmljah, "koji bježi ispred kiše",
Samo to i ništa više.
Ah, da, još se sjećam jasno, u prosincu bješe kasno
Svaki ugarak, što trne, duhove po podu riše.
Željno čekam ja svanuće, uzalud iz knjiga vučem
Spas od boli što me muče, jer me od Nje rastaviše.
Od djevojke anđeoske, od Lenore rastaviše,
Ah, nje sada nema više.
Od svilenog, tužnog šuma iz zastora od baršuna
Nikad prije osjećani užasi me zahvatiše;
Dok mi srce snažno bije, ja ga mirim sve hrabrije:
"Putnik moli da se skrije od te noći, bure, kiše.
Putnik kuca na ta vrata, da se skrije ispred kiše.
Samo to je, ništa više."
Ohrabrih se iznenada, ne oklijevah više tada:
"Gospodine il gospo?o, izvinjenje moje stiže!
Mene teški snovi prate, a vi nježno kucat znate,
Tako tiho i bez snage, vaši prsti vrata biše,
Da sam sanjiv jedva čuo" - Tu se vrata otvoriše -
Mrak je tamo, ništa više.
Pogled mrak je prodrijet htio, čudno zastrašen sam bio,
Sumnjajući, sanjajući, sni mi paklenski se sniše;
Nedirnuta bje tišina, znaka nije dala tmina,
Rečena je reč jedina, šapnuta od zvuka kiše:
"Lenora" ja šapnuh tiho, jeka mi je vrati tiše,
Samo to i ništa više.
Kad u sobu ja se vratih, cijelom dušom tad zaplamtih:
Nešto jači nego prije udarci se ponoviše.
"Sigurno", ja rekoh, "to je na prozoru sobe moje;
Pogledat ću trenom što je, kakve se tu tajne skriše.
Mirno, srce. Da, vidimo, kakve se tu tajne skriše -
Vjetar to je, ništa više.
Prozorsku otvorih kuku, kad uz lepet i uz buku,
Kroza nj u?e gordi Gavran, svetih dana što već biše,
Nit da poklon glavom mahne, ni trenutak on da stane,
S likom lorda ili dame kroz moju se sobu diže
I na kip Palade sleti, što se iznad vrata diže,
Sleti, sjede, ništa više.
Ovaj stvor u crnom plaštu, nasmija mi tužnu maštu
Teškim, mrkim dostojanstvom, kojim čitav lik mu diše.
"Nek ti kresta jadno visi", rekoh, "kukavica nisi,
Strašni, mračni Gavran ti si, što sa žala Noći stiže,
Kako te na žalu zovu hadske noći otkud stiže?"
Reče Gavran: "Nikad više".
Začudih se tome mnogo, što je jasno zborit mogo,
Premda nejasne mu riječi malo tog mi razjasniše.
Ali priznat mora svako, ne doga?a da se lako,
Da živ čovjek gleda tako, pticu što se nad njim njiše,
Životinju ili pticu, što nad vratima se njiše
S tim imenom "Nikad više".
Ali Gavran sjedeć tamo, govori riječ jednu samo,
Ko da duša mu i srce u tu jednu riječ se sliše.
To je sve što on mi reče - dalje krila ne pokreće,
Dok moj šapat mir presiječe: "Svi me druzi ostaviše,
Otići će i on kao nade što me ostaviše".
Tad će Gavran "Nikad više".
Dok ja stajah još zatečen - odgovor bje spremno rečen.
"Nema sumnje," rekoh, "ta je riječ tek trica, ništa više
Od nesretnog gazde čuta, kojega je sudba kruta,
Pratila duž njegova puta, dok mu sve se pjesme sliše
U tužaljke puste nade, koje teret u se zbiše,
Od "nikada-nikad više".
Al taj stvor u crnom plaštu, još mi u smijeh goni maštu,
Ja naslonjač tad okrenuh bisti, gdje se Gavran njiše
Na baršun mi glava klone, a ja mislim misli one,
Stapam mašte tužne, bolne; kakvu meni sudbu piše
Ova strašna kobna ptica, kakvu meni sudba piše
Grakćuć stalno: "Nikad više".
Sjedih tražeć smiso toga, ne govoreć niti sloga
Ptici, čije žarke oči moju dušu rasplamtiše;
Tako misleć misli bone, pustih glavu da mi klone
I u baršun da mi tone, kojim svijetlo sjene riše,
Naslonit se na taj baršun, kojim svijetlo sjene riše
O n a ne će nikad više.
Zrak tad ko da gušćim stade, na me neki miris pade
Ko da an?el lakih nogu kadionik čudni njiše.
"Ludo", viknuh, "to su glasi, bog će posla da te spasi
Bol i tugu da ti gasi, što te tako izmučiše.
Pij nepenthe, da u srcu zaborav Lenoru zbriše."
Rače Gavran: "Nikad više".
"Zli proroče, ne znam pravo, da l si ptica ili ?avo,
Da li te je Satan poslo, il te bure izbaciše
Sama, al nezastrašena, u tu pustu zemlju sjena
U dom ovaj opsednuti, - zaklinjem te, ah, ne šuti
Reci, reci ima' l melem jada, što me izmučiše?"
Reče Gavran: "Nikad više".
"Zli proroče, ne znam pravo, da l si ptica ili ?avo,
Al u ime Boga po kom obojici grud nam diše,
Smiri dušu rastuženu, reci da l ću u Edenu
Zagrliti svoju ženu, od koje me rastaviše, An?eosku tu
Lenoru, od koje me rastaviše?"
Reče Gavran: "Nikad više".
"Dosta ti govorit dadoh, crna ptico!" Tad ustadoh,
"U oluje divlje bježi, što se kroz noć raskriliše!
Ne ostavi niti traga svojih laži kraj mog praga,
Meni je samoća draga - usne same dovršiše -
Iz mog srca kljun svoj vadi, nek ti trag se ovdje zbriše!"
Reče Gavran: "Nikad više".
I taj Gavran, šuteć samo, još je tamo, još je tamo,
Na Palade kip je sjeo, što se iznad vrata diže,
Oči su mu slika prava zloduha što sniva, spava,
Svijetlost, što ga obasjava, na dnu njegovu sjenu riše,
Moja duša iz tih sjena, što mi cijelu sobu skriše
Ustat neće - nikad više!
