Operation Raven is here!

[mollyringle]

Thanks so much to everyone who volunteered to be a pinch-hitter, but as it turned out, every last one of the original volunteers came through! Everyone's so great. Come here; group hug.

So here it is for your downloading pleasure. Read along below, and marvel at how Poe brought out the cute and/or sexy in everyone's voices. Great job, all!

Happy Halloween...

- - -

Titles - lemonlye and Zach (age two and three quarters).

gavinworld: Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

Starr: While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

mikailborg: " 'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door;
Only this, and nothing more."

lalael: Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December,
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.

Runswithlag: Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow
From my books surcease of sorrow, sorrow for the lost Lenore,

ekatarina: For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore,
Nameless here forevermore.

shmuel: And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me--filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;

krazycat: So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
" 'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door,

zonga: Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door.
This it is, and nothing more."

hess42: Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;

serai1: But the fact is, I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,

katymulvey: That I scarce was sure I heard you." Here I opened wide the door;--
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Amanda, age 6: Deep into the darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;

Ben, age 7: But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word,

astroman_rich: Lenore?, This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word,
"Lenore!" Merely this, and nothing more.

all_timeqb: Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping, something louder than before,

dirae: "Surely," said I, "surely, that is something at my window lattice.
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore.

kalquessa: Let my heart be still a moment, and this mystery explore.
" 'Tis the wind, and nothing more."

kirstenfleur: Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately raven, of the saintly days of yore.

snorklewacker: Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door.

new_iconoclast: Perched upon a bust of Pallas, just above my chamber door,
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

maidenjedi: Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,

bluesound: "Though thy crest be shorn and shaven thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly, grim, and ancient raven, wandering from the nightly shore.

Minyaliel: Tell me what the lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore."
Quoth the raven, "Nevermore."

halfmute: Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning, little relevancy bore;

lemonlye: For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door,

radiofreecarbon: Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

The full text of "The Raven" is here.