Once upon a midnight eerie, while i grieved, weak and weary
Over many a gloom and disastrous letters of his wife I store
While I nodded, almost napping, suddenly there came a scratching,
As something gently tapping, tapping at my swamp house door.
“Oh it’s nothing,” I grumbled, “nothing’s ever here at my swamp house door--
     Only silence and nothing more.

Ah, precisely I remember it was in the hot September;
And each cypress and prying alligator passed quickly passed our ores.
Eagerly I wanted her tomorrow; -- but she was what saddens my sorrow
From the boat she fell with the roe -- and with the roe wasn’t seen anymore--
For seeped under the murky swamp water and swallowed by the gator was Eleanor--
     Nameless here for evermore.

And then again I heard a tap, a tap, tap at the door
Which excited me -- scared me to wonder what was behind the door.
So that now, the door finally opening, I saw coming through was a creature scurrying.
“Tis a tail, plenty of scales, and an immense jaw” I swore
It was an alligator entreating entrance at my chamber door
     This it is reminding me of my Eleanor.

Presently my soul grew sadder; hesitating then no longer,
“Gator”, said I, “Leave! Thee reminds me of Eleanor!
By the fact that you were scratching, scratching at my door
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my swamp house door
That I scarce be sure to remember - “leave” is what I implored
     Fiercely you rumbled, “Nevermore”

“Get thee back into the storm and night’s eery norm
Leave no remnants as a token of your presence thine soul hath spoken
Leave my misery unbroken! - quit the smirk for the loneliness that shakes me to the   core
Take thy jaws from out my mind, and take thy form from off my porch!”
     Quoth the gator, “Nevermore”