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From the sun that 'round me roll'd In its autumn tint of gold

From the lightning in the sky As it pass'd me flying by — From the thunder, and the storm — And the cloud that took the form (When the rest of Heaven was blue) Of a demon in my view

All that we see or seem Is but a dream within a dream.

I stand amid the roar Of a surf-tormented shore, And I hold within my hand Grains of the golden sand— How few! yet how they creep Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep—while I weep! O God! can I not grasp Them with a tighter clasp? O God! can I not save One from the pitiless wave?

Is all that we see or seem But a dream within a dream?

for Orpheus. Eurydice. Hermes. And Barbara with infinite love as I falter on the road to Ithaka

Shrouded forms that start and sigh As they pass the wanderer by-

While, like a rapid ghastly river,  Through the pale door, A hideous throng rush out forever,  And laugh—but smile no 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 stillness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Lenore!"

Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling, By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being

But the Raven, sitting lonely on that 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—

Startled at the stillnes broken by reply so aptly spoken,

Caught from some unhappy master, whom unmerciful Disaster Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—

But the Raven still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing

And his eyes have all the seeming of a Demon's that is dreaming,