"The Haunted Palace" Edgar Allan Poe

IN the greenest of our valleys

By good angels tenanted,

Once a fair and stately palace--

Radiant palace--raised its head.

In the monarch Thought's dominion

It stood there!

Never seraph spread a pinion

Over fabric half so fair!
 

Banners yellow, glorious, golden,

On its roof did float and flow

(This--all this--was in the olden

Time long ago),

And every gentle air that dallied

In that sweet day,

Upon the ramparts plumed and pallid,

A winged odor went away.
 

Wanderers in that happy valley,

Through two luminous windows, saw

Spirits moving musically

To a lute's well-timed law.

Round about a throne where, sitting,

(Porphyrogene!)

In state his glory well befitting,

The ruler of the realm was seen.
 

And all with pearl and ruby glowing

Was the fair palace-door,

Through which came, flowing, flowing, flowing,

And sparkling everymore,

A troop of Echoes, whose sweet duty

Was but to sing

In voices of surpassing beauty

The wit and wisdom of their king.
 

But evil things, in robes of sorrow,

Assailed the monarch's high estate.

(Ah, let us mourn--for never morrow

Shall dawn upon him desolate!)

And round about his house of glory

That blushed and bloomed

Is but a dim-remembered story

Of the old time entombed.
 

And travelers, now, within that valley

Through the red-litten windows see

Vast forms that move fantastically

To a discordant melody,

While, like a ghastly, rapid river,

Through the pale door

A hideous throng rush out forever

And laugh--but smile no more.
 

Edgar Allan Poe