"The Raven" is a narrative poem by Edgar Allan Poe, first published in January 1845. The poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. The poem tells the story of a distraught lover who is visited by a talking raven that only says "nevermore". The raven represents the memory of the narrators lost love, Lenore, and is a constant reminder of his grief. The poem explores themes of grief, loss, and the struggle to overcome it. Poe chose a raven as the central symbol in the story because he wanted a "non-reasoning" creature capable of speech. He decided on a raven, which he considered "equally capable of speech" as a parrot, because it matched the intended tone of the poem. The poem ends with the raven still perched atop the bust of Pallas above the door, effectively portraying the narrators inability to overcome his grief and forget Lenore.