The Murkow (The Raven: Pokemon edition)

Something I did for hahas for this Halloween, I took a poem I enjoyed in high school (took part in a play based on it). Using my love for Pokemon I re-tweaked it for Pokemon fans. Mainly for comical purposes, mainly because in Pokemon, Pokemon do talk but can only say their name (given some can say words in the anime). So the it makes the freak out a little more unreasonable. But here it is...

please don't take it utterly seriously.



Once upon a Johto dreary, while I trained, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious number of defeated challengers,
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my city gym door.
" 'Tis another challenger," I muttered, "tapping at my city gym door;
Only this, and one too many more."

Ah, distinctly I remember, it was in the bleak December.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; vainly I had sought to borrow.
From my challenges surcease of sorrow, sorrow for the lost Gengar.
For the rare and horrifying Pokemon whom the experts name Gengar
Nameless here forevermore.


And the silken sad uncertain rustling of each sapphire curtain
Thrilled me---filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating,
" 'Tis some challenger entreating entrance at my city door,
Some late challenger, entreating entrance at my city gym door.
This it is, and one too many more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; flinching then no longer,
"Sir," said I, "or madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
But the fact is, I was napping, and so gently you came challenging,
And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my city gym door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you." Here I opened wide the door;---
Darkness there, and nothing more.

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

Back into the city gym turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping, something louder than before,
"Surely," said I, "surely, that is something at my window lattice.
Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore.
Let my heart be still a moment, and this mystery explore.
" 'Tis a pidgey, and nothing more."

Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately pokemon, of the saintly days of Generation 1.
Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
But with mien of lord or lady, perched above my city gym door.
Perched upon a bust of hall of fame, just above my city gym door,
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy badge be shorn and shaven thou," I said, "art sure no Darkrai,
Gastly, Grimer, and ancient pokemon wandering from the nightly shore.
Tell me what the lordly name is on the Night's Olivine shore."
Quoth the Pokemon, "Murkrow!"

Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl 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 blessed with seeing bird above his city gym door,
Zapdos or Raikou upon the sculptured bust above his city gym door,
With such name as "Murkrow."

But the pokemon, sitting lonely on that placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing further then he uttered; not a feather then he fluttered;
Till I scarcely more than muttered, "Other Pokemon have flown before;
On the morrow he will leave me, as my hopes have flown before."
Then the pokemon said, "Murkow!"

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 perish songs one burden bore,---
Till the dirges of his hope that melancholy burden bore
Of "Murkow."

But the pokemon still beguiling all my sad soul into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of pokemon, and bust and door;
Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore --
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt and ominous bird of darkness
Meant in cawing "Murkow."

Thus I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl, whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom's core;
This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
On the cushion's velvet lining that the Lanturn gloated o'er,
But whose velvet violet lining with the Lanturn 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.
"Wretch," I cried, "thy Arceus hath lent thee -- by these phenomena he hath
Sent thee respite---respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Gengar!
Quaff, O quaff this kind leader, and forget this lost Gengar!"
Quoth the pokemon, "Murkow!"

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil!--prophet still, if Articuno or Giratina!
Whether tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
Desolate, yet all undaunted, on this wet land enchanted--
On this home by horror haunted--tell me truly, I implore:
Is there--is there balm in Johto?--tell me--tell me I implore!"
Quoth the pokemon, "Murkow!"

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil--prophet still, if Articuno or Giratina!
By that space that bends above us--by that Arceus we both adore--
Tell this soul with sorrow laden, if, within the distant Isshu,
It shall clasp a sainted ghost, whom the name Lenore---
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden, whom the experts name Gengar?
Quoth the pokemon, "Murkow!"

"Be that word our sign of parting, friend or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting--
"Get thee back into the tempest and the Night's Olivine shore!
Leave no dusk stone as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! -- quit the bust above my gym door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my gym door!"
Quoth the pokemon, "Murkow!"

And the pokemon, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of badge just above my city gym door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a dunsparce's that is dreaming.
And the Lanturn o'er him streaming throws his shadow ball on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted---for a Murkow!

I laughed quite heartily in an excessively loud manner

Seriously though...I lol'd.

I smell a new meme....

Poe-kemon...

Um.... not sure if that was positive or what, but thanks?

Twas positive of course o.o

...I lol'd