Poems, Songs, Letters, and Stories Quoted in
The Raven’s Tale
Works are listed by chapter number, first line, title, author, and first known year of publication or origin.
“the pomps and vanities of the wicked world”
The Book of Common Prayer, 1625 edition.
“Once upon a dark December, in a year we must remember”
Lines written by Cat Winters in the style of “The Raven,” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1845. Throughout the novel, Cat Winters wrote numerous other lines of poetry in this style.
“The gay wall of this gaudy tower”
“Tamerlane,” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1827. Other lines identified as belonging to “Tamerlane” throughout The Raven’s Tale are also quoted from the original 1827 version of the poem.
“Beware, a maiden unrefined”
“Lenore’s Sickly Rhymes,” Cat Winters, written for The Raven’s Tale. The words “from a darkened mind” in the second line are from “The Lake,” by Edgar Allan Poe, 1827, but Poe spelled “darkened” as “darken’d.”
“By the pricking of my thumbs”
Macbeth, William Shakespeare, circa 1606.
“When forty winters shall besiege thy brow”
“Sonnet 2,” William Shakespeare, 1609.
“I hear the low tones of the darkness stealing over the horizon, as I tend to do in the evenings—a foolish fancy, perhaps”
Adapted from Note 10 in the endnotes for “Tamerlane,” Tamerlane and Other Poems, Edgar Allan Poe, 1827: “I have often fancied that I could distinctly hear the sound of the darkness, as it steals over the horizon—a foolish fancy perhaps . . .”
“My artist is older than yours—far wiser than yours.”
Variation of lines 28–29 in “Annabel Lee,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1849: “Of those who were older than we/Of many far wiser than we—”
“of which no mortal has ever dared to dream”
Variation of line 26 in “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845: “Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before . . .”
“Thy soul shall find itself alone”
“Visit of the Dead,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1827 (Poe changed the title of later editions to “Spirits of the Dead”).
“May I compare thee to a winter’s morn?”
Cat Winters, written in the style of lines 1–4 of “Sonnet 18,” William Shakespeare, 1609.
“Thank heaven! I’m packing—preparing at last.”
Cat Winters, written in the style of lines 1–4 of “For Annie,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1849.
“Annabel Lee,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1849.
“Hear that throbbing, thumping bell—tempting bell!”
Lines written by Cat Winters in the style of “The Bells,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1849.
“Here’s a thing I’ve wondered since I was quite small and young”
“The Professors,” Cat Winters, written for The Raven’s Tale, with a few nods to Edgar Allan Poe’s “Oh, Tempora! Oh, Mores!,” circa 1825.
“the same long but sufficiently good nose”
Variation of a line in the story “The Spectacles,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1844: “My nose is sufficiently good.”
“And so being young and dipt in folly”
“Introduction,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1831.
“Thou hast call’d me thy Angel in moments of bliss”
“Come, Rest in This Bosom,” Thomas Moore, quoted from an 1822 printing of Moore’s Irish Songs. Other lines identified as belonging to “Come, Rest in This Bosom” (purportedly Poe’s favorite song) are also quoted from the 1822 edition.
“Since my love died for me today, I’ll die for her tomorrow.”
“Barbara Allen,” traditional Scottish ballad, circa 1600s. In the song, “him” is used in place of “her.”
“Let us drink and be merry all out of one glass”
“Here’s a Health to the Company,” traditional Irish song, date unknown.
“Come, lonely genius of my natal shore”
The Giant’s Causeway, William Hamilton Drummond, 1811.
“The skies they are opal and restless”
Untitled, Cat Winters, written in the style of lines 1–9 of “Ulalume,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1847.
“Sing heav’nly Muse, that on the secret top”
Paradise Lost, John Milton, 1667.
“In youth’s spring, it was my lot”
“The Lake,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1827. Other lines identified as belonging to “The Lake” throughout The Raven’s Tale are also quoted from the original 1827 version of the poem.
“I am a business man. I am a methodical man.”
“The Business Man,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845. Originally published as “Peter Pendulum (The Business Man)” with slightly different wording in 1840.
“Helen, thy beauty is to me”
“To Helen,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1831
“It is likely that pieces of flesh as large as my hand will be obliged to be cut out” Letter from Edgar Allan Poe to John Allan, September 21, 1826.
“I have no wish to live another hour” and “I have no desire to live and will not”
Letter from Edgar Allan Poe to Mrs. Maria Clemm and Miss Virginia Clemm, August 29, 1835.
“shorn and shaven”
“The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845.
“I saw thee on the bridal day”
“To — —,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1827.
“The Prodigal Son of Richmond” is the title of a nonexistent, entirely fictitious
poem Cat Winters based on young Edgar Poe’s tendency to write and distribute anonymous satires of people he considered cruel and/or pompous.
“In visions of the dark night”
Untitled, Edgar Allan Poe, 1827. Poe titled later editions of the poem “A Dream.”
“And I turn’d away to thee”
“Evening Star,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1827.
“Once upon a midnight dreary”
Opening words of “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845.
“Edgar, thy absence is to me like a crushing, metallic ore”
“Lenore’s Reawakening,” Cat Winters, written for The Raven’s Tale. Opening line written in the style of lines 1–5 of “To Helen,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1831.
Remaining lines written in the style of “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845.
“Once upon a midnight sordid, while I dig a gravesite swarded”
“Finale,” Cat Winters, written for The Raven’s Tale in the style of “The Raven,” Edgar Allan Poe, 1845.