Quaint and Curious - Parodies and Pastiches of Poe's The Raven

A Voice

1883
Free Press Flashes 1883

In the dusk, within my chamber, I sat and sadly pondered—
Pondered o’er life’s problems with my hand upon my brow.
“When,” I asked, “will adverse fortune cease to torment and oppress me?”
A voice from out the window, shrill and piercing, answered, “Now!
Thrilled and startled by the answer, coming from an unknown being,
I said again: “If blessing is in store, oh tell me how
Release will come, and joy and peace? Say, when, when will it be?”
And through the open casement promptly came the answer “N-n-now!
Half in fear and half in frenzy, for methought the being mocked me,
I said: “Unlock the mystery of my fate, or else I vow
To curse thee for thy falseness. Tell me when I shall have blessing.”
The weird, shrill voice responded still, as ever, only “N-n-ow-w!”
To my feet I sprang in anger, flinging wide the casement shutter:
“ Djinn!” I shrieked, “or devil, or angelic being thou
Shalt say when peace wilt come and joy to calm my troubled spirit!”
The cat upon the moonlit shed below responded “N-a-ow-w-w!”

Return to the Quaint and Curious index for more pastiches and parodies of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Raven”.