TuTu's Nevermore!

Once upon a midnight dreary, we were drinking, tired and weary,
Quaffing many a cold and welcome 'script to hid or heal our sore,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my eyelids door.
"'Tis some silly wench," I muttered, "tapping at my eyelids door-
Only this, and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December,
With each failing consciousness slumping down upon the floor.
Eagerly I wished the morrow;- vainly I had sought to borrow
From my brew surcease of sorrow- sorrow for the lost Tuvor-
For the rare and radiant fellow whom the angels name Tuvor-
Who would be gone for evermore.

And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me- filled me with a fear that I had never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I thought repeating,
"'Tis some silly wench entreating entrance at my eyelid's door-
"'Yes, some silly wench entreating entrance at my eyelid's door-
Some silly wench entreating entrance , only that and nothing more;-
This it is, and that's for sure."

Presently my eylids opened; hesitating then full opened,
"Wench" said I, "or Brother, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my eyelid's door,
That I scarce was sure I had heard you"- then I stood and wavered, nothing more;-
Took a step and fell completely on the floor.

Deep into the boards I nestled, long I laid there, unconscious wrestled,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortals ever dared to dream before;
But the silence was soon was broken, and from stillness I was woken,
And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, "Tuvor!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Tuvor!"-
Merely this, and nothing more.

Back into the barroom turning, all my soul within me yearning,
To taste their dark and deadly brew once more
Soon again I was a napping, somewhat sounder than before.
"Surely," thought I, "surely there was something that I could have done before:
Let me see, then, ponder deep then, and this mystery explore -

Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;-
'It 'twas the answer and nothing more."
Floating here I wane and wander, snoring some, my eyelids flutter,
When in my dream there stepped a stately figure of the saintly days of yore;
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But, with mien of lord or lady, moved a chair from near the door-
Sat down near the bust of Pallas over near the back-room door-
Sat, and watched, and nothing more.

Then this ebony shape beguiling my drunken stupor into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance he wore.
"With thy face so dark and hidden, thou," I said, "hast come unbidden,
Ghastly grim and ancient figure wandering from the Nightly shore-
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night's Plutonian shore!"
Quoth the figure, "Where's Tuvor?."

Much I marvelled this ungainly fellow to discourse so plainly,
Through his answer my depression all of relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
Ever yet was blest with seeing such a figure sitting near a bar-rom door-
Freind or felon near the sculptured bust sitting near my chamber door,
Boldly asking "Where's Tuvor?"

But the fellow, sitting lonely near the placid bust, spoke only
That one phrase, as if his soul in that one phrase he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered- not a finger then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "He was on the square before-
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes are dashed to floor."
Then the man said, "That's for sure!."

Startled at the stillness broken by reply so quickly spoken,
"Doubtless," said I, "what he utters is his perception, nothing more,
He's heard from some unhappy master of Tuv's dark TuTu Disaster
Followed fast and followed faster till his wrath one burden bore-
Till the dirges of his mind that melancholy burden bore
Of 'Tuvor- Fair Tuvor!'."

But the Demon still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of man, and bust and door;
Then upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous man of yore-
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous man of yore
Meant in croaking "Where's Tuvor"

This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the man whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my eyes at ease reclining
On the fellow's velvet cloak that the lamplight gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the lamplight gloating o'er,
Did reveal, ah, something more!

Then methought the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose footfalls tinkled on the tufted floor.
"Demon!," I cried, "thy god hath lent thee- as condemnation he hath sent thee
Respite and condemnation from my memories of Tuvor!
Quaff, oh quaff this awful tempting! Yes! I did it! I'm repenting!"
Quoth the Fellow, "Suffer More!."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!- prophet still, if man or devil!-
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate yet all undaunted, this poor soul you come and haunted-
On this home your power flaunted - tell me truly, I implore-
Is there- is there balm in Gilead?- tell me- tell me, I implore!"
Quoth the Demon, "Nevermore."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil- prophet still, if man or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us- by that god we both adore-
Tell this soul , sorrows weighed by if Tuvor, his foes contained by,
Did death clasp a sainted fellow whom the angels name Tuvor-
Clasp a rare and radiant brother whom the angels name Tuvor."
Quoth the Figure, "Nevermore."

"Be that word our sign in parting, man or fiend," I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Plutonian shore!
Leave no memory as token of that filth thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!- quit the table near my door!
Take thy blade from out my heart, and take thy form from off my floor!"
Quoth the fellow, "Nevermore."

T'was then the fog of drink abated, then t'was if my mind had waited
And came flowing back into my weary skull and thought once more
The visage of this one I pondered, reminded of the paths I'd wandered
Laughing, looking and proceeding death to strike to evil's hateful core.
Accompanied by many truly, but by one who spoke more fully
To my heart's need and who did my honor once restore.

And what was this, 'neath cloak a poking? Gently hidden 'neath his cloaking
Could it be the frilly TuTu's edge I'd lastly seen him wearing then before?
Dark with menace, large in sizing, dangerous growl in throat arising
Yon man stood and flung his prior costume to the cluttered bar-room floor!
To my throat my heart went leaping, then came fear from stomach creeping!
For in pinkish TuTu'd splendor, there before me stood Tuvor!

Torn between my heart's true gladness and his glint of battle madness
I withdrew toward the outside Bar-room door.
"Lest there be undue confusion, or worse still, the odd contusion
Let me say again that there was nothing I could do for sure!
Please believe me I shant deceive thee Tell me what could I do more?!"
Quothe the Tuvster, "That's too poor!"

Nearly to the door I'd stumbled, When a spell my old friend mumbled
And I felt the tickle of the hold I'd often felt on the practice fields of yore
Stopping every ounce of motion, simply standing, no commotion
I awaited Tuvie's capping blow.
Through my books he went and shuffled, grunting happily he shuffled
'Til he found the plan for me his mind had had in store.

Eyes shut tight anticipating what a show Tuv had a'making
I awaited mayhem's grasp to fling me to the waiting floor.
But all there was was air a flowing, round me gently there a'going
"Tis not so bad" I thought quite blankly, never dreaming how he'd "thank" me
'Til I felt the coolness of the chilly night embrace me down beneath, down low
Relieved of clothing, I was now the main attraction, giving all a brief distraction
Frozen naked, I gave all the bar a naughty show!

"So that was your fine solution? A TuTu's frame your mind's allusion?
Maybe now you'll think again, before you costume me the way you did before!
And in my nakedness repining, mind still from I was opining
"No indeed, a TuTu I will never cast no more!
That's the truth, I here declare it - TuTu's show up Nevermore!