The Raven
Easy read + audio
Hoy te traemos un ejercicio para que practiques tu comprensión auditiva y aprendas vocabulario nuevo con uno de los poemas más impresionantes que se han escrito en lengua inglesa: The Raven de Edgar Allan Poe.
Ten en mente que es un poema y que además es bastante antiguo (de 1845 concretamente), así que muchas estructuras te sonarán un poco raras. Aun así, merece la pena leerlo y escucharlo, además, con la maravillosa voz de nuestro profesor Aindrias “Fitz” Fitzgerald.
¡Dale al play y disfruta!
The Raven
by Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a midnight dreary (deprimente), while I pondered (reflexionaba), weak and weary (cansado),
Over many a (forma antigua de decir muy) quaint (evocador) and curious volume of forgotten lore (conocimiento olvidado)—
While I nodded (cabeceaba), nearly napping (medio dormido), suddenly there came a tapping (golpeteo),
As of some one gently rapping (llamando suavemente), rapping at my chamber (mis aposentos) door.
“’Tis (= it is) some visitor,” I muttered (murmuré), “tapping at my chamber door—
Only this and nothing more.”
Ah, distinctly (con claridad) I remember it was in the bleak (lúgubre) December;
And each separate dying ember (brasas moribundas) wrought (antigua forma de decir wrote) its ghost upon (sobre) the floor.
Eagerly (con impaciencia) I wished the morrow (la mañana);—vainly (en vano) I had sought (intentado) to borrow (pedir prestado)
From my books surcease of sorrow (que cesara la pena)—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden (excepcional y radiante dama) whom (a quien) the angels name Lenore—
Nameless (sin nombre) here for evermore (eternamente).
And the silken (sedoso), sad, uncertain rustling (susurro) of each purple curtain
Thrilled me (me asustó)—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating (silenciar el latido) of my heart, I stood repeating
“’Tis some visitor entreating entrance (suplicando entrar) at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
This it is and nothing more.”
Presently (inmediatamente) my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer (sin dudar más),
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore (imploro su perdón);
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly (débilmente) you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce (casi no) was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide (abrí de par en par) the door;—
Darkness there and nothing more.
Deep into that darkness peering (mirando de cerca), long I stood there wondering (confuso), fearing (asustado),
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dreamt to dream before;
But the silence was unbroken (intacto), and the stillness (quietud) gave no token (no dio señales),
And the only word there spoken was the whispered (susurrada) word, “Lenore?”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back (el eco devolvió en un susurro) the word, “Lenore!”—
Merely (simplemente) this and nothing more.
Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me (dentro de mí) burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat (un poco) louder than before.
“Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice (las rejas de mi ventana);
Let me see, then, what thereat (palabra antigua para there) is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
’Tis the wind and nothing more!”
Open here I flung the shutter (tiré del postigo), when, with many a flirt and flutter (revuelo y aleteo),
In there stepped (se metió) a stately Raven (majestuoso cuervo) of the saintly (sagrados) days of yore (antaño);
Not the least obeisance (ni el mínimo saludo) made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien (semblante) of lord or lady, perched (se posó) above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust (busto) of Pallas just above my chamber door—
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony (de ébano, negro) bird beguiling (embaucando) my sad fancy (fantasía) into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum (severo y adusto decoro) of the countenance (semblante) it wore,
“Though thy (forma antigua para your) crest (cresta) be shorn (rapada) and shaven (afeitada), thou (forma antigua para you),” I said, “art (forma antigua de are) sure no craven (cobarde),
Ghastly (horroroso) grim (nefasto) and ancient Raven wandering (que vaga) from the Nightly shore (costa de la noche)—
Tell me what thy lordly (señorial) name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
Quoth (dijo) the Raven “Nevermore.”
Much I marvelled (sorprendido) this ungainly fowl (ave desgarbada) to hear discourse (discurrir) so plainly (llanamente),
Though (aunque) its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore (tenía);
For we cannot help (no podemos evitar) agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blessed (bendecido) with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
With such name as “Nevermore.”
But the Raven, sitting lonely (solitario) on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour (hubiera volcado).
Nothing farther (más) then he uttered (pronunció)—not a feather (pluma) then he fluttered (aleteó) —
Till I scarcely (brevemente) more than muttered “Other friends have flown (volado) before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
Then the bird said “Nevermore.”
Startled (sobresaltado) at the stillness broken by reply so aptly (acertadamente) spoken,
“Doubtless (sin duda),” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
Caught (aprendido, adquirido) from some unhappy master whom unmerciful (despiadado) Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore (una carga portaban)—
Till the dirges (cantos fúnebres) of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”
But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled (di la vuelta a) a cushioned seat (sillón acolchado) in front of bird, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking (hundido en el terciopelo), I betook myself (me desplacé) to linking (juntar)
Fancy unto (hacia) fancy, thinking what this ominous (de mal agüero) bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt (cadavérico), and ominous bird of yore
Meant in croaking (quería decir al graznar) “Nevermore.”
This I sat engaged (ocupado) in guessing (adivinar), but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery (fogosos) eyes now burned into my bosom’s core (el centro de mi pecho);
This and more I sat divining (adivinando), with my head at ease reclining (reclinada cómodamente)
On the cushion’s velvet lining (revestimiento) that the lamp-light gloated (regodeaba) o’er (= over),
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
She shall press (tocar), ah, nevermore!
Then, methought (me pareció), the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer (incensario invisible)
Swung (agitado) by Seraphim whose foot-falls (pisadas) tinkled (tintineaban) on the tufted (anudado) floor.
“Wretch (desgraciado),” I cried, “thy God hath (forma antigua para has) lent thee (forma antigua para you)—by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite (dame tregua)—respite and nepenthe (nepente) from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff (traga rápidamente), oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest (la tempestad) tossed thee (te arrastró) here ashore (hacia la orilla),
Desolate yet all undaunted (impávido), on this desert land enchanted (hechizado)—
On this home by Horror haunted (poseído)—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm (bálsamo) in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
“Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends (se curva) above us—by that God we both adore—
Tell this soul with sorrow laden (abrumada) if, within the distant Aidenn,
It shall clasp (agarrar) a sainted maiden (santa dama) whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
“Be that word our sign of parting (despedida), bird or fiend (demonio)!” I shrieked (aullé), upstarting (presuntuoso)—
Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token (símbolo) of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness (soledad) unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak (pico) from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming (apariencia) of a demon’s that is dreaming,
And the lamp-light o’er him streaming (derramando) throws his shadow (arroja su sombra) on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted—nevermore! (¡Que no se eleve jamás!)