an angry crow
sat on the neighbor’s
car cawing loudly
at four this morning
the neighbor’s car
right outside
my bedroom window
i glanced through
the blinds into the
darkness blanketing
the world outside
to see the shadow
of the beaked beacon
pecking at the hood
between wailing
admonishments of fury

the thought that this
was simply a strange
somnambulant delusion
took the edge off of
the corvid tantrum
letting me fall into
false comforts that it
was all a dream as i
squeeze the pillow
unaware of angry crows
or down filled surrogacy

in my waking that i had
decided was still sleeping
i carefully walked outside
curious at the commotion
of dreamdander disambiguates
the early morning squad
sat smoking cigarettes
urging their dogs to
hurry and relieve themselves
as coffee steamed in cups
and eyebrows raised at
a fool stumbling in the
dark while staring at this
vitriol fueled feathered
menace of protestations

the closer i crept to
the claws scratching across
the faded red family car
the more a feeling of dread
of a possibly poorly planned
middle of the night
excursion to investigate
an event that was not mine
to be investigating as i am
no famed avian detective
just a wicker man with
bird shit streaked wooden
ribs that only cage a
heart that rattles poetry
has no reason to be standing
in the dry grass waiting for
the spark that lights
the tinder of rage burning
in the gaze of this
murderless crow

the alarm sounded
loud in the quiet
as i blinked the sleep
that gave no rest
just mild distraction
to see brown grass
stuck to my shins
the barest memory of
a crow in flight
three long scratches
down my chest with
dried blood sticking
to the lone feather
sprouted from my chest
red paint beneath my
broken fingernails
and an ache between
hazel eyes with a hint
of shadowed anger
swirling darkness like
the coffee slowly dripping