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  • Subject: "The Gravemind" My Halo Version of "The Raven"
Subject: "The Gravemind" My Halo Version of "The Raven"
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With the openning of the Gallery to Bungie.net members and told not to post poetry in the Halo 3 section I decided to post my version of "The Raven". So on with it.

After playing "Cortana" I saw that the famous poem "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe and the level "Cortana" have a similar flare. So I took a while to make a rewritten version. Its kinda long, but I think it is worth it. I know it might not be great, but I am no Poe. Enjoy.

Once upon a starlight dreary, while I wondered, weak and weary,
Over an impossible trek to High Charity's core,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping on the bulkhead door.
"'Tis some enemy," I muttered, "tapping at my bulkhead door -
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak October,
And each separate dying Flood wrought its ghost upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished for tomorrow; - vainly I had sought to borrow
From my weapons surcease of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Cortana -
For the rare and radiant AI whom the angels name Cortana -
Nameless here for evermore.

And the sicking sad uncertain tremoring of each pulsing spore
Worried me - filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at this bulkhead door -
Some late visitor entreating entrance at this bulkhead door; -
This it is, and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
"Flood," said I, "or abomination, truly your hatred I implore;
But the fact is I was searching, and so violently you came rapping,
And so fiercly you came tapping, tapping at this bulkhead door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you"- here I kicked open wide the door; -
Darkness there, and nothing more.

Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no human 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, "Cortana?"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Cortana!" -
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the open turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a pounding somewhat louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "surely that is something at the reinforced window cover:
Let me see, then, what the threat 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, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a large tentacle of the demonish days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above the bulkhead door -
Perched upon a bust of an Truth just above the bulkhead door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this parasitic tentacle made my sad fancy into exictment,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore.
"Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou," I said, "art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Flood wandering from the Nightly shore -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the Gravemind, "Nevermore."

Much I marvelled this ungainly Flood to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning- little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing this thing above a bulkhead door -
Parasite or beast upon the sculptured bust above a bulkhead door,
With such name as "Nevermore."

But the Gravemind tentacle, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if its soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a slither then he flung out -
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "other enemies have flown before -
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the Gravemind said, "Nevermore."

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 master whom unmerciful Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore -
Till the dirges of its Hope that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Never - nevermore'."

But the Gravemind still beguiling all my fancy into exitcment,
Straight I wheeled a plamsa battery in front of tentacle, and bust and door;
Then upon the plamsa sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous Flood of yore -
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous Flood of yore
Meant in croaking "Nevermore."

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the parasites whose fiery arms now burned into my brains core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the plasma batterys radience that the light gloated o'er,
But whose aqua radience with the light gloating o'er,
She shall press, ah, nevermore!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Flood," I cried, "thy God hath lent thee - by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite - respite and nepenthe, from thy memories of Cortana:
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and return this lost Cortana!"
Quoth the Gravemind, "Nevermore."

"Flood!" said I, "thing of evil! - parasite still, if monster or devil! -
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here abord,
Desolate yet all undaunted, on this Covanant vessel enchanted -
On this home by horror haunted- tell me truly, I implore -
Is there - is there hope in Cortana? - tell me - tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Gravemind, "Nevermore."

"Monster!" said I, "thing of evil - paratsite still, if Flood or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us - by that God we both adore -
Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Ark,
It shall clasp a sainted AI whom the angels name Cortana -
Clasp a rare and radiant AI whom the angels name Cortana."
Quoth the Gravemind, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, beast or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting -
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the bust above the door!
Take thy tentacle from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!"
Quoth theGravemind, "Nevermore."

And the Gravemind, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Truth just above the bulkhead door;
And his "eyes" have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming,
And the light o'er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted - nevermore!

Fin

  • 12.10.2008 8:07 PM PDT

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Posted by: T9404
Uh I'm a bit of a noob, what's an "Achronos"?

Nintenman7: Apply yourself... Seggi31: HHHHNNNNNNGGGGG

Nicely written. You are very good, but I think a few word replacements would be great, it's not often we get poets on Bnet...

  • 12.11.2008 8:42 PM PDT

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Nice job.

I'm sure it took a good amount of time figuring out how to replace some of the words.

But, I agree, I think it still needs a little more work with some of the words. And then you'll have yourself a masterpiece.
=)

  • 12.11.2008 9:20 PM PDT