Edgar Allan Poe

The heathen philosopher, when he had a mind to eat a grape, would open his lips when he put it into his mouth, meaning thereby that grapes were made to eat and lips to open.”

As You Like It.

At Venice, in the year —, in the street —, lived Pedro Garcia, a metaphysician. – With regard to date and residence, circumstances of a private and sacred nature forbid me to be more explicit. In all mental qualifications our hero was gigantic. Moreover, in bodily circumference, he had no cause of complaint; but, in right ascension, four feet five was the philosopher’s ne plus ultra

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams

Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE;

all the night–tide, I lie down by the side

Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride

In her sepulchre there by the sea—

In her tomb by the side of the sea.

And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes

Of the beautiful ANNABEL LEE;

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,

"Other friends have flown before—

On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before."

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

Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul has 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!"

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,