Edgar Allen 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 I heard a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
? ?Tis some visitor,? I muttered, tapping at my chamber door-
Only this and nothing more
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 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.
That was the beginning of my most famous poem, ?The Raven.? I also wrote The Tell-Tale Heart and ?The Pit and the Pendulum.? I had a horrible time on this earth and a very short one, but I ended up
years, chamber, virginia, old, died, year, visitor, very, time, tapping, started, short, one, nothing, john, foster, father, both, because, became, after, ?tis, two, turned, tuberculosis, story, said, rapping, poets, never, napping, murder, life, help, heart, heard, gently, famous, entreating, entrance, ended, editor, each, debt, clemm, children, came, wrote, writer
