"The Ravings" by Colin Ottinger
Once upon a storm swept night,
in dancing, glowing fire light
soggy Poe in two hands
hands on face at ten
Father’s photos on the wall
in the kitchen, through the hall.
A noble leader of ten lynches,
humble hater of all finches
Then, from night to haven
boldly came a raven
Came swiftly through
an opened door
Quote he did not
“Nevermore!”
Perched he atop
withered grandfather clock,
and simply called
“Caw”
“Bird, you disrupt my reading
with your pleading.
Should not you be outside feeding
and breeding?”
To this he called
“Caw”
And I replied
“Bah!”
“Ravens,
you are all alike
your language confuses
your beaks, they bite!”
To this he called
“Caw”
And I replied
“Bah!”
“Ravens,
you filch our resources.
Come now be docile,
like lame horses.”
To this he called
“Caw”
And I replied
“Bah!”
“Ravens,
stealers of medicine.
Fly away now,
who let you in!?”
To this he called
“Caw”
And I replied
“Bah!”
“Repent, raven!
Reverse your ravings,
or my fire and wraith
shall wreck thee!
To this he called
not
but simply sat
and thought.
In a fit of rage
that did send me
And so soon learn would he
To resent me
“Raven
I shall take thee
to court.
Do not retort!”
So I took him to a judge
and he felt the law.
His whole defense?
“Caw”
Well, he died in prison
old and black.
Good riddance,
he won’t be back
Returned I to home,
ten years past
Old was I,
tired and crass
Went I to my Poe
in front of new fire,
not one page closer
to a far away desire
And then a mighty storm
black from above
blew open my door,
and in flew a dove.
Perched he atop
dead grandfather clock
and exclaimed
“Coo”
“Bird, shoo!
You disrupt my reading
But nevermore!”
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