Once upon a hyperjump dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of some Huttese lore -
While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my airlock door.
"'Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my airlock door -
Only this and nothing more."

Ah, distinctly I recalled then -- it was in floating Bespin,
And each seperate ugly ugnaught worked in pipeworks down below.
Eagerly I wished the morrow; -- vainly I had sought to borrow

From Darth Vader end of sorrow - sorrow for the lost Solo
For the rare and valiant scoundrel whom the smugglers name Solo
Nameless here for evermore.

And the drumming of the engine humming through the Falcon
Thrilled me-filled me with galactic terrors never felt before.
So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating:

"'Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my airlock door-
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my airlock door;
This it is and nothing more."

Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,

"Droid," said I, "or Wookie, 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 airlock door,

That I scarce was sure I heard you"-here I opened wide the door;--
Space was there and nothing more.

Deep into outer space peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no gamblers 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, "Solo!"
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, "Solo!"
Merely this and nothing more.

Back into the Falcon turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I hear a tapping something louder than before.
"Surely," said I, "now I know something's at my cockpit porthole;
Let me see, then, this thing droll, and this mystery explore-
Let me go where no man has gone, and this mystery explore;--
'Tis spacedust and nothing more."

Then from behind in the cabin, with many a flirt and flappin',
In there winged a bug-eyed Mynock of the pirate days of yore.

Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or hailed he,

But, with mien of Sith or Jedi, perched above my cabin door -
Perched upon a blast-shield helmet just above my cabin door -
Perched, and sat, and nothing more.

Then this membranous worm beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the gross and slimed decorum of the countenance it wore,
"Though thy crest be shorn and lice-stocked, thou" I said, "art sure no Sarlaac,

Ghastly grim and ancient Mynock, wandering from an Alderaan meteor -
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Alderaan meteor!"

Quoth the Mynock, "Nevermo'."

Much I marvelled this ungainly vermin to speak Basic so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning - little relevancy bore;
For we cannot help agreeing that no living Inner-rim being
Ever yet was blessed with seeing Mynock above his cabin door -
Droid or beast upon the blast-shield helmet above his cabin door,
With such name as "Nevermo'."

But the Mynock, sitting lonely on that dusty helm, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
Nothing farther than he uttered; not a membrane then he fluttered-
Till I scarcely more than muttered: "other friends have flown before-
On the morrow he will leave me as only Hopes have flown before."

Then the bird said, "Nevermo'."

Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by paduwans whose foot-falls tinkled on the metal floor.
"Wretch!" I cried, "thy God hath sent thee-by these angels he hath sent thee
Respite-respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Solo!

Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget his lost Solo!"
Quoth the Mynock, "Nevermo'."

"Prophet!" said I, "thing of evil! prophet still, if bird 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 Tattooine,
It shall clasp the rakish scoundrel whom the smugglers name Solo-
Clasp a rare and valient scoundrel whom the smugglers name Solo."

Quoth the Mynock, "Nevermo'."

"Be that word our sign of parting, worm or fiend!" I shrieked, upstarting-
"Get thee back into the hyper-space and the Alderaan meteor!
Leave no green slime as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken!-quit the helm above my door!

Take thy sucker from my heart, and take thy membranes off my door!"
Quoth the Mynock, "Nevermo'."

And the Mynock, never flitting, still is sitting
On the opaque blast shield helmet just above my cabin door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a Rodian's that is dreaming,

And the console 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-nevermo'!