All wreathed with fairy fruits and flowers, Ah, dream too bright to last! Ah, starry Hope! that didst arise But to be overcast! A voice from out the Future cries, "On! on!" but o'er the Past (Dim gulf!) my spirit hovering lies Mute, motionless, aghast! For, alas! alas! with me The light of Life is o'er! "No more no more no more (Such language holds the solemn sea Shall bloom the thunder-blasted tree, And all my days are trances, EULALIE. - A SONG I DWELT alone In a world of moan, Till the fair and gentle Eulalie became my blushing bride Till the yellow-haired young Eulalie became my smiling bride. Ah, less-less bright The stars of the night Than the eyes of the radiant girl! And never a flake That the vapor can make With the moon-tints of purple and pearl, 5 10. Can vie with the modest Eulalie's most unregarded curl Can compare with the bright-eyed Eulalie's most humble and careless curl. While ever to her dear Eulalie upturns her matron eye 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 tap ping, As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door. "Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber doorOnly this and nothing more. 5 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 Lenore sorrow for the lost 10 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 Thrilled me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; 15 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; 20 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; Till the fair and gentle Eulalie became my blushing bride — Till the yellow-haired young Eulalie became my smiling bride. 5 Ah, less less bright The stars of the night Than the eyes of the radiant girl! That the vapor can make With the moon-tints of purple and pearl, 10 Can vie with the modest Eulalie's most unregarded curlCan compare with the bright-eyed Eulalie's most humble and careless curl. While ever to her dear Eulalie upturns her matron eye 15 20 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, rapping at my chamber door. "Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door 5 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. 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 Thrilled me filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; 15 So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating "Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber doorSome 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; 20 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; |