There in ragged suit
shameless jester at mimic
cloaked in attitude
A young crow carries them-
selves meticulously, screening
their surroundings. Too wary
to engage with others, but
always so observant.
A golden jewel shines in a
parking lot corner. Tempting
the young crow’s eyes. Their
bill clutches on, fragile by
nature, it breaks.
Glass shards pierces their
tongue, blood cascades on-
to the concrete as the jewel
dismantles. Remnants of a
once pretty rock remain.
Lackluster caws transcends to
inconspicuous woes through
menacing thunder circulating
the floaters, ignoring their
cries.
Drizzles of rain deafening
continuous yelp, a dash of
salt soaking their insides,
their shadow scatters
far away.
Look down at me
From thy beak
Give me thou crow like stare
Feed my fear
With darkened glare
Feathers erased by air
Pages many
Thy secrets held
Our hubris was a trap
Spells dispelled
Thy wings expand
In the night thee flap
Moon in sky
This is thy realm
Dark spirits are afloat
A cursed bird
No friends or foe
Never to sing a note
Books in piles
Will not be read
The writers all long dead
Language has passed
Along with Man
We didn’t listen to what was said.
On a summer day, sat a clever crow
Being too thirsty, it began to caw
Looking from a tree far
Saw water in a jar
Water lying low, it drank with a straw
perfect autumn day
a romantic proposal
raven lands on knee
the groom is startled
the crow is victorious
ruining the mood
I've made up my mind
going to clean out the attic today
leaving nothing but cobwebs behind...
photos of people without names
car seats -chrome tables - baby rattle snakes
dented pots and pans
a guitar slouches in the corner without hands
dreaming of chords never woven
songs never molded from clay.
It's all just ex-rated anyways
it's all just excess anyway.
Things of past importance
scattered into cardboard boxes of chaos
of the never remembered and the long forgotten.
Then out to the curb everything must go
The garbage truck
offers garbled eulogy
to the crow of mourning.
murder of crows
was this decided before or after Poe’s poem?
Wait
That was a raven
larger than a crow
more fierce
but still ugly
with an annoying caw
I understand where murder might enter into it
crows caustic cawing
polluting morning silence
corn field quiet
Poetry Form: Limerick
Sponsor: Joseph May
Date: June 14, 2025
A crow on a wire watched me cry,
He cawed at the clouds in the sky.
“You break, then you mend,
But the hurt doesn’t end—
Just learn how to smile when you lie.”
Black Birds Flying at Wal-Mart
I see them gather, flock on flock,
At 7:30am sharp, they start to squawk and talk.
The sun peeks up, the horizon glows,
The air alive with cackles and crows.
Their feathers bristle, sharp and black,
They soar and dip, they dart fourth and back.
Their eyes, a yellow shining disc,
Reflect the light, a golden whisk.
The parking lot, their chosen stage,
They flutter, and fly in trees they engage.
Heads turn left and then to right,
When they fly the sky turns a speckled night.
They peck at crumbs, on scraps they dine,
Their steps in rhythm, a sequenced line.
Among the cars, they dance and sway,
When humans enter their territory they fly away.
From tree to light poles they take their flight,
Under the Walmart’s neon light.
Upward they rise to poles they glide,
On top of Walmart’s walls they nest and subside.
On the back of the wind, they wheel, and turn,
For insects, food, their hunger burns.
The Black Birds gather on shopping carts.
Masses of Black Birds flying at Wal-Mart.
Recently,one winter morning,out of the blue,
I heard the caw of a lone crow -
Once found in flocks across our land,
Now vanished many years ago.
Its caw awakened in me the
Memories buried in the wavering wash of time.
The weather those days was fine,
Water in the ponds and rivers was pure.
Rills full of fish would twist and flow
Through the villages.
The cricket’s song at dawn and dusk,
The farmer's call in the early morning,
As he headed towards the paddy field
With a pair of bulls so charming.
His caw recalled the temple bell’s ring
From the palace shrine in early morning,
A sound that once brough heart’s delight.
Oh,the Uthum’s song on a sunny day,
And Tamna’s call at night,
No longer heard,nor seen the fireflies,
Twinkling far and near at night.
Gone are many local varieties of fish,
Plants,and greens once found in abundance
In our land.
Today, that lone caw in the air
Brought back to me the memories rare,
Yet worried for what we have lost,
Ecological balance now the cost.
Here comes the uppity bejeweled crow
Carrying her loud beak just so and so
She is wearing a cape as white as snow
Her beady eyes turn on me; they have a glow
Flashing gemstone rings are on her feathers today
She preens and twists, weirdly turning away
Around her neck there is a diamond choker
I heard she won this playing cardinal poker
He spreads his lordly cape to slow his descent, gloved talons softly gripping metal throne, his obsidian pallium opulent and ominous. Empowered by wonder and awe, I swallow fear, holding the chthonic messenger’s gaze
Curiosity binds us
The vigilant Seraphim turns
Comma, the crabby crow, was a curious bird
He collected aluminum, kind of absurd
Necklaces were swooped up in his beak
His cawing was louder than most bird speak
He was always moving, stomping around
When he was not flying, if he was on the ground
Frenzied and furious today, for he had lost a gem
A gorgeous moonstone necklace, given to him.
Some tried to help, but he shooed them away
He was not in the mood to be nice or play
But we want to help the other crows said.
A murder of crows singing over his head.
Crow (Blackus Menacingus)
large, clever and a scavenger
found in gardens where there’s trees
good at puzzles, can be trained
likes TV shows about celebrities
Blackbird (Blackus Not-A-Pirateus)
common gardeners friend is he
perched on the handle of a spade
looking out for bugs and worms
went on a holiday to Adelaide
Thrush (Not-The-Itchyus Sortus)
light brown plumage with spotted front
easily identifiable medium bird
known for a complex, tuneful song
makes jam tarts with lemon curd
Starling (Impressiveus In-A-Large-Flockus)
iridescent all year bird
feathers change colour in the sun
swarms in huge numbers then
off to the pub for rowdy fun
Wren (Smallus Sticky-Uppy-Tailus)
one of the tiniest garden birds
surprisingly loud and piercing voice
small, round body, quick and gone
to play boardgames and other toys
Puffin (Brightus Beakus)
black and white with colourful bill
dives the water for its food
coastal, cliffside, craggy nest
sends birthday cards that are very rude
Related Poems