The Raven Dream

I dreamt I called on Baron Corvus

In his sleek black evening dress

Slighter of build than his crow soldiers

At home in his Castle Nest

In his sleek black evening dress

Where his brightest eyes agleam

At home in his Castle Nest

Pick the diamonds from a dream

Where his brightest eyes agleam

Misted o'er with prophesy

Pick the diamonds from a dream

In the Courts of Treachery

Misted o'er with prophesy

Each enacted with a jest

In the Courts of Treachery

Unkindness teaches what is best

Each enacted with a jest

As a fool dreams he's a priest

Unkindness teaches what is best

What constrained and what released

As a fool dreams he's a priest

Cawing with a raven's croak

What constrained and what released

From the feather darkened cloak

Cawing with a raven's croak

That anyone may yet be Pope

From the feather darkened cloak

Comes the studied blasphemy

That anyone may yet be Pope

In the Nightmare reliquary

Comes the studied blasphemy

And bird's bones may be sold as saints'

Where merchandise the churchyard taints

Slighter of build than his crow soldiers

(And bird's bones may be sold as saints')

I dreamt I called on Baron Corvus...