The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan Poe and one of the most famous poems ever written. First published in January 1845 in the New York Evening Mirror, it depicts a mysterious raven's visit to a distraught narrator as he mourns his lost lover, Lenore. The poem is often noted for its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural atmosphere. Its publication made Poe widely popular in his lifetime, although it did not bring him much financial success.