could　scarcely　be　distinguished　from　them　by　the　once　happy　little　damsel
  who　went　to　seek　her　pet　with　an　arch　and　rosy　smile　on　her　face。　Consider
  the　great　variety　of　truthful　and　delicate　thought　in　the　few　lines　we
  have　quotedthe　_wonder　_of　the　little　maiden　at　the　fleetness　of　her
  favorite…the　〃little　silver　feet〃the　fawn　challenging　his　mistress　to　a
  race　with　〃a　pretty　skipping　grace；〃　running　on　before；　and　then；　with
  head　turned　back；　awaiting　her　approach　only　to　fly　from　it　again…can　we
  not　distinctly　perceive　all　these　things？　How　exceedingly　vigorous；　too；
  is　the　line；
  〃And　trod　as　if　on　the　four　winds！〃
  A　vigor　apparent　only　when　we　keep　in　mind　the　artless　character　of　the
  speaker　and　the　four　feet　of　the　favorite；　one　for　each　wind。　Then
  consider　the　garden　of　〃my　own；〃　so　overgrown；　entangled　with　roses　and
  lilies；　as　to　be　〃a　little　wilderness〃the　fawn　loving　to　be　there；　and
  there　〃only〃the　maiden　seeking　it　〃where　it　_should　_lie〃and　not　being
  able　to　distinguish　it　from　the　flowers　until　〃itself　would　rise〃the
  lying　among　the　lilies　〃like　a　bank　of　lilies〃the　loving　to　〃fill　itself
  with　roses；〃
  〃And　its　pure　virgin　limbs　to　fold
  In　whitest　sheets　of　lilies　cold；〃
  and　these　things　being　its　〃chief〃　delights…and　then　the　pre…eminent
  beauty　and　naturalness　of　the　concluding　lines；　whose　very　hyperbole　only
  renders　them　more　true　to　nature　when　we　consider　the　innocence；　the
  artlessness；　the　enthusiasm；　the　passionate　girl；　and　more　passionate
  admiration　of　the　bereaved　child
  〃Had　it　lived　long；　it　would　have　been　Lilies　without；　roses　within。〃
  *　〃Book　of　Gems；〃　Edited　by　S。　C。　Hall
  ~~~~~~　End　of　Texr　~~~~~~
  POEMS
  TO
  THE　NOBLEST　OF　HER　SEX
  THE　AUTHOR　OF
  〃THE　DRAMA　OF　EXILE〃
  TO
  MISS　ELIZABETH　BARRETT　BROWNING
  OF　ENGLAND
  _I　DEDICATE　THIS　VOLUME_
  WITH　THE　MOST　ENTHUSIASTIC　ADMIRATION　AND　WITH
  THE　MOST　SINCERE　ESTEEM
  1845　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　E。A。P。
  PREFACE
  THESE　trifles　are　collected　and　republished　chiefly　with　a　view　to　their
  redemption　from　the　many　improvements　to　which　they　have　been　subjected
  while　going　at　random　the　〃rounds　of　the　press。〃　I　am　naturally　anxious
  that　what　I　have　written　should　circulate　as　I　wrote　it；　if　it　circulate
  at　all。　In　defence　of　my　own　taste；　nevertheless；　it　is　incumbent　upon　me
  to　say　that　I　think　nothing　in　this　volume　of　much　value　to　the　public；　or
  very　creditable　to　myself。　Events　not　to　be　controlled　have　prevented　me
  from　making；　at　any　time；　any　serious　effort　in　what；　under　happier
  circumstances；　would　have　been　the　field　of　my　choice。　With　me　poetry　has
  been　not　a　purpose；　but　a　passion；　and　the　passions　should　be　held　in
  reverence：　they　must　not…they　can　not　at　will　be　excited；　with　an　eye　to
  the　paltry　compensations；　or　the　more　paltry　commendations；　of　man…kind。
  E。　A。　P。
  1845
  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　visiter；〃　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　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；
  So　that　now；　to　still　the　beating　of　my　heart；　I　stood　repeating
  〃'Tis　some　visiter　entreating　entrance　at　my　chamber　door
  Some　late　visiter　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　I　heard　again　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　an　instant　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　upon　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　farther　then　he　uttered　　not　a　feather　then　he　fluttered
  Till　I　scarcely　more　than　muttered　〃Other　friends　have　flown　before
  On　the　morrow　_he_　will　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；　ghastly；　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　lamplght　gloated　o'er；
  But　whose　velvet　violet　lining　with　the　lamplight　gloating　o'er；
  _She_　shall　press；　ah；　nevermore！
  Then；　methought；　the　air　grew　denser；　perfumed　from　an　unseen　censer
  Swung　by　Angels　whose　faint　foot…falls　tinkled　on　the　tufted　floor。
  〃Wretch；〃　I　cried；　〃thy　God　hath　lent　thee　　by　these　angels　he　hath　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　name　Lenore
  Clasp　a　rare　and　radiant　maiden　whom　the　angels　name　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　n