Jednom u čas tužan noćni, dok razmišljah, duh nemoćni,
nad knjigama koje drevnu nauku u sebe skriše,
bejah skoro u san pao, a neko je na prag stao
i tiho je zakucao, kucnuo što može tiše.
„Posetilac neki – šanuh – kucnuo što može tiše,
samo to i ništa više.“
Ah, sećam se toga jasno, beše zimnje veče kasno;
svaki tinjav odsev žara utvare po podu piše.
De čekajuć, srce snažim u knjigama zalud tražim
za Lenorom bol da blažim. Ime koje podariše
njoj anđeli, divna draga kojoj ime podariše
anđeli, nje nema više.
I šum svilen, šumor tmurni, šum zavesa tih purpurnih,
neslućenom, čudnom strepnjom obuzima sve me više;
da umirim srce rekoh: „To zacelo sad je neko
na pragu se mome steko, kucnuvši što može tiše,
posetilac neki pozni, zakuca što može tiše
na vrata i ništa više.“
Najednom mi strepnja minu i zureći u tamninu:
„Gosparu il gospo – kazah – ne ljutite vi se više,
bejah skoro u san pao, neko od vas na prag stao
i tiho je zakucao, kucnuo što može tiše,
da i ne čuh“… Tad mi ruke vrata širom otvoriše –
samo mrak i ništa više.
I dok pogled tamom bludi, bojazan mi puni grudi,
slušajući, sanjajući, snovi mi se teški sniše,
i zagledan u tišinu, samohranu pustu tminu,
„O Lenora“ reč jedinu, izgovorih tiho, tiše,
„O Lenora“ odjek vrati što mi usta prozboriše,
samo to i ništa više.
Vratih se u sobu svoju a duša u nespokoju.
I uskoro nešto jači udarci se ponoviše.
„Na prozoru, u kapcima, mora biti nekog ima,
miruj srce, da u njima vidim kakvu tajnu skriše,
miruj srce da uvidim kakvu tajnu oni skriše,
vetar samo, ništa više!
I otvorih kapke tada, kad ulete iznenada
lepršajuć gordi Gavran iz dana što srećni biše,
gospodski ga izgled krasi, pozdravom se ne oglasi,
niti zasta, nit se skrasi, dok mu krila se ne sviše
povrh vrata, na Paladin kip mu krila se ne sviše,
slete, stade, ništa više.
Videć pticu ebonosnu, osmeh tužno srce kosnu,
zbog važnog i strogog sklada kojim lik joj sav odiše.
„Mada ćube čerupane – rekoh – plašljiv nisi, vrane,
što sablasan traješ dane sred žalova noći, kiše –
kaži kakvim imenom te sile pakle okrstiše?“
Reče Gavran: „Nikad više.“
Začudih se vesma tome, odgovoru prejasnome,
mada smislom reči ove meni malo jasno biše:
al priznajem, nema zbora, ne čuh takvog odgovora,
i ne videh takva stvora crnih krila što se sviše,
zver il ticu čija krila na Paladin kip se sviše,
s’ tim imenom „Nikad više.“
No Gavranu s’ kipa bela ta reč beše mudrost cela,
reč jedina s’ kojom mu se misao i duša sliše.
Nit rečju tom zbor mu presta, nit pomače on se s’ mesta
a u meni sumnje nesta: „Svi me znanci ostaviše,
odleteše i on ko i Nade što me ostaviše.“
Reče Gavran: „Nikad više.“
Čuvši, duhom sav uzbuđen, taj odgovor brz, rasuđen,
„Stvarno – kazah – to što zbori, reč jedinu nikad više,
valjda reče njegov gazda, zlom sudbinom gonjen vazda,
dok sve misli koje sazda u jedan se pripev sliše,
tužbalicu mrtvih nada i dana što srećni biše,
tužni pripev: „Nikad više.“
Ali Gavran, stvor stameni, tužnu maštu bodri meni,
naslonjaču ja približih vratima što mogah bliže,
i glave na plišu sjajne, mnih znamenje tako tajno
u govoru svom nejahno nosi tica ta što stiže,
šta sablasna i odvratna, stara tica koja stiže,
misli, grakćuć: „Nikad više.“
Sedeć, slutnjom srce morih, i ni reči ne prozborih
tici čije plamne oči do srca me prostreliše:
i u misli zanesena, meni klonu glava snena
sa uzglavlja tog svilena gde svetiljke odsjaj sliše,
prileć neće nikad više!
A vazduh sve gušci biva, kao miris da razliva
kadionik kojim anđo kadi sobu tiho, tiše
„Nesrećniče – viknuh tada – božija milost to je rada
da ti dušu spase jada, uspomenu da ti zbriše:
pij napitak sladak da se na Lenoru spomen zbriše.“
Reče Gavran: „Nikad više.“
„Proroče il stvore vražiji, đavole il tico, kaži,
zaklinjem te nebom sklonim i Gospodom ponajviše,
dal’ ću dušu namučenu priljubiti u Edenu
uz devojku ozarenu koju svi mi snovi sniše,
uz Lenoru kojoj ime serafimi podariše?“
Reče Gavran: „Nikad više.“
„Sad umukni, kleta tico, – skočih, viknuh – zlosutnico,
u paklenu noć se vrati, u oluj i nedra kiše!
S’ tamom crno perje spoji, beleg laži gnusnih tvojih,
samoćom me udostoji, vrh vrata ne sedi više;
izgled i kljun tvoj ukloni što mi srce ojadiše.“
Reče Gavran: „Nikad više.“
I Gavran, stvorenje žalno, sedi stalno, sedi stalno,
krila mu se oko bledog Paladinog kipa sviše,
oči su mu zlokob prava, ko zloduha koji spava,
svetiljka ga obasjava i sen mu po podu piše:
duša mi se od te senke što se njišuć podom piše
spasti neće – nikad više!
Edgar Alan Po (1809-1849)
Prevod: Vladeta Košutić
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—
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 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 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 stillness 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 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 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 a minute 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 fancy 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 lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!
Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose 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 no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore!
