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"The Raven" is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. Noted for its musicality, stylized language and supernatural atmosphere, it tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit to a distraught lover, tracing his slow descent into madness. The lover is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore. The raven, sitting on a bust of Pallas, seems to further instigate his distress with its repeated word "Nevermore". Throughout, Poe alludes to folklore and classical works. Poe explained in a follow-up essay, "The Philosophy of Composition", that his intention was to create a poem that would appeal to both critical and popular tastes. The poem was inspired in part by a talking raven in Charles Dickens's 1841 novel Barnaby Rudge. The publication of "The Raven" made Poe widely popular in his day. The poem was soon heavily reprinted, parodied, and illustrated. Though some critics disagree about the value of the poem, it remains well known and popular. (Full article...)