> The Owlowicious > by Fry > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Once upon a midnight ... > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Once upon a midnight dreary,In Twilightnore Sparkle's Library, while I pondered, weak and weary, Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore, While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, ''Huh,Wha...?'' As of somepony gently rapping, rapping at the chamber door. Facing the fire while turning around in my chair. I did'nt gave it attention with no stare. ‘’haha,It is just some visitor,’ I muttered, ‘tapping at my chamber door—     ''Only this, and ...nothing.... more.’ It was my Love : Twilightnore Sparkle who past away. Still remembering that it was about a week or a day. And ah, distinctly I remember that it was in the bleak December, And each separate dying ember wrought it's ghost upon the floor. Eagerly I wished the morrow ,vainly I had much sought to borrow. From her books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Twilightnore— For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Twilightnore—     Nameless here for evermore. I looked at the curtain and with a shriek-- I hided behind my chair,poor and weak. The silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain Thrilled me—and filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before; So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating, ,‘’T-tis some visitor e-entreating entrance at the chamber door— Some l-late visitor entreating entrance a-at the chamber d-door;—     That is it, and nothing more.’' Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer, ‘Colt,’ said I, ‘or Mare?, truly your forgiveness I implore; But the fact that I was napping, and it was so gently you came rapping, And it was so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door, That I scarce was sure that I heard you, My hoof reached the door,yeah i was scared. waiting for what kind of danger would bewared. —here I opened wide the door;—     Darkness there, and nothing more. > A Slight of Owl > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing, Ponyville at night : darker mysterious and wow; Wondering what kind of creatures would have shown; The only thing i saw was the rumbling,flashing thunder; I started to fell a little weak down under. Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before; But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token, And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, ‘Twilightnore!’ This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, ‘Twilightnore!’     Merely this, and nothing more. Back into the Library returning, all my soul within me burning, Later again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before. ---Tap!----Bam!----BOOM!--- ‘AAAAH!,S-surely,’ said I, ‘Surely that is something at my w-window lattice: Let me see, then, --breath-- what thing it is, and this mystery explore— Let my h-heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—     ‘Tis just the w-wind and nothing more!’ --Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter.-- In there stepped a Wisely Owl ----Which had an form of Twilightnore's pet---- of the saintly days of yore; Not the least obeisance made she, not a minute stopped or stayed she; But, with mien of Pegasus or pony, perched above the chamber door— Perched upon a bust of Princess Celestia just above my chamber door—     Perched, and sat, and nothing more. Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling. By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore. ‘Hahaha,though thy crest be dark and scarey ,’ I said, ‘But your no monster under my stair-y, Ghastly grim and ancient Owl wandering from the Nightly shore— Tell me,Tell me what your Queensly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!’     Quoth the Owl : ''Nevermore.'' Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly especially from an Owl. Though it's answer little meaning—little relevancy bore; For we cannot help agreeing that no living pony, But this Owl looked familiar i noticed. Her eyes,her fur...she looked exactly like Twilightnore's pet : Owlowicious! But she was dead,so that couldn't be true. Yet i tried to figure this out,but i didn't care I was terrified so i tried to relax in my chair. Ever yet i was blest with seeing this bird above a chamber door— Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above a chamber door,     With such a name as ‘Nevermore.’ But the Owl, sitting lonely on the Princess bust, spoke only That one word, as if her soul in that one word she did outpour. Nothing further then she uttered —not a feather that she fluttered— Till I scarcely more than muttered, ''Other friends have flown before.On the morrow that Owl will leave me, as my hopes have flown before.''     Then the bird said Replying : , ‘Nevermore.’ > An Rent for an End > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken. ''‘Doubtless,’'' said I, ‘what it utters is its only stock and store, Caught from some unhappy pony whom unmerciful Irony, Followed fast and followed faster till the songs one burden bore— Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore     Of “Never—nevermore”.’ But the Owl still beguiling all my fancy into smiling, Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of The Owl, and bust and door; Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore— What is this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of yore? Was it here to haunt me? Was it just because i killed an old man...or three? Was it because of the arrow in my old knee? Or is this a Nightmare causing By my insanity? Spoke the Owl : ''Nevermore.'' This I sat engaged in guessing, but with no syllable expressing To the owl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core; This and more I sat divining, my mane and head at ease reclining On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamplight gloated over, But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating over,     She shall press, ah, nevermore! Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer. --Here the censer bumped my head----''OUWW!!!,Stupid Censer!'' As i looked up i saw that the censer was swung by Seraphim,whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor. ''Wretch!!!'' I cried, ‘the Almighty Celestia hath lent thee, by these angels she hath sent thee. Respite—respite and nepenthe, from the memories of Twilightnore! Why, oh why this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Twilightnore!’   Quoth the Owl, ''‘Nevermore.’'' I was angry,i wanted that Owl Dead. I did'nt knew if my sanity this would have said. ''AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRGGHHH!!!'' I yelled. I stood up angry and mad. ---Here i raised my hoof towards the night creature and pointed at her while i screamed----- ‘Prophet!’ yelled I, ‘thing of evil! prophet still, if bird or devil!'' Whether Thing sent, or whether tempest tossed you here ashore, Desolate yet all undaunted,In this Ville enchanted— In this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore— Is there---breath--- I-is there an explanation in Pony-ville?—tell me—tell me, I implore!’     Quoth the Owl,'' Nevermore.’'' ---This is the part were i wasn't so nice For the Nightowl was this moment for her,a paradise--- ‘Be that word our sign in parting, Owl or fiend!!! ’ I yelled, upstarting. ‘Get back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!'' ''Grrr ,Leave no black plume as a token of that lie.'' ''Thy soul hath spoken! Leave my loneliness unbroken!'' ''QUIT THE BUCKING BUST ABOVE MY DOOR!'' ''TAKE THE BEAK FROM OUT MY HEART AND TAKE YOUR FORM FROM OF MY DOOR!”   Quoth the Owl, ‘Nevermore.’ And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting On the pallid bust of Celestia, just above my chamber door; And her eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming, And the lamplight over the owl streaming throws her shadow on the floor; And my Body and soul were lying dead on the floor.    They Shall be lifted , N e V E r M o R e !