Starring:
Date: May 18, 2013
Summary:
None given.
"Quoth the Raven "Once More""
Unknown location
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 bed room door. ‘’Who the hell is that,' Fudo muttered,
‘tapping at my bed room door -Only this, and nothing more.’
Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak September, And each gusty
wind wrought strange shadows upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow;
- vainly I had sought to borrow, From my scrolls surcease of sorrow -
sorrow for the lost Rainos - For the rare and talented man whom the ANBU
named Rain -Nameless here for evermore.
And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each rice-paper curtain
Thrilled me - filled me with fantastic intrigue never felt before; So that
now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating ‘Who the hell is
entreating entrance at my bed room door - Some late visitor entreating
entrance at my bed room door; - This must be it, 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 not so gently you came rapping, And so disturbingly you came
tapping, tapping at my bed room door, That I was certainly 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, ‘Rain!’ This I whispered, and an echo
murmured back the word, ‘Rain!’ 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 threat there
is, and this mystery explore -Let my heart be still a moment and this
mystery explore; -’It is 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 my demon
subduing sword just above my dresser drawer - 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 your crest be shorn
and shaven, you,’ I said, ‘are sure no craven. Ghastly grim and ancient
raven wandering from the nightly shore -Tell me what lordly name is on the
Night’s Moonlit shore!' Quoth the raven, ‘Once more.’
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 dresser drawer - Bird or beast above the elegant blade above his
dresser drawer, With such name as ‘Once more.’
But the raven, sitting lonely on the immaculate blade, spoke only, That
one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.bNothing further
then he uttered - not a feather then he fluttered - Till I scarcely more
than muttered ‘Other friends have flown before - On tomorrow he will leave
me, as my hopes have flown before.’ Then the bird said, ‘Once more.’
Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken, ‘Doubtless,’
said I, ‘what it utters is its only known word, 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 "Again, Once more."’
But the raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling, Straight I
wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird and sword and drawer; Then, upon
the cushion sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking
what this ominous bird of yore - What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt,
and ominous bird of yore Meant in croaking ‘Once more.’
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 comfortable
lining that the candle-light gloated over, But whose soft violet lining
with the candle-light gloating o'er, She shall press, ah, once more!
Then, I thought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censor
Swung by demon whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor. ‘Wretch,’ I
cried, ‘your master has sent you - by some orders he has sent you Respite
- respite and nepenthe from your memories of Rainos! Quaff, oh quaff this
kind nepenthe, and forget this lost Rainos!’ Quoth the raven, ‘Once more.’
‘Prophet!’ said I, ‘thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or demon! -
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed you here upon my shore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this fertile land enchanted - On this home
by horror haunted - tell me truly, I implore - Are there - are there
answers in the Land of Rivers? - tell me - tell me, I implore!’ Quoth the
raven, ‘Once more.’
‘Prophet!’ said I, ‘thing of evil! - prophet still, if bird or devil! By
that Heaven that bends above us - by that man we both adore - Tell this
soul with sorrow filled shiver if, within the distant river, I shall clasp
a tainted memory whom the ANBU named Rain - Clasp a rare and talented man,
whom the ANBU named Rain?’ Quoth the raven, ‘Once more.’
‘Is that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!’ I shrieked upstarting
- ‘Get back into the tempest and the Night’s Moonlit shore! Leave no black
plume as a token of that lie you have spoken! Leave my loneliness
unbroken! - quit the sword above my drawer! Take your beak from out my
heart, and take your form from off my drawer!' Quoth the raven, ‘Once
more.’
And the raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the
elegant demon subduing blade just above my dress drawer; And his eyes have
all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming, And the candle-light over
him streaming throws his shadow on the floor; And my soul from out that
shadow that burns ever brighter than before; Shall be lifted - Once more!
