---My Ode To Poe---

The Bird Squawks            
From Bare Dead Tree            
Night And Day            
It Steals My Sleep            
            
I Clamp My Eyes            
I Cover MY Ears            
Louder And LOUDER            
This Squawking I Hear            
           
Fourteen Moons            
I Have Not Slept            
Madness Finds Me..    
           
But Comforts Me Lest            
            
SQUAWKING and SQUAWKING            
Relentless And Mocking      
          
Tonight's The Night            
I Extinguish This Haunting            
           
As I Stand Beside            
This Bare Dead Tree            
Through The Moons Faint Glare  
            
This Dreadful PEST I See...        
           
Perched Upon Leafless Branch            
The Hellish Fowl            
Exacts A Sinful Glance            
           
It's Squawking Turns To Screaming            
It's Eyes Beady And Red            
It's Shrilling Screaming            
Could Awaken The Dead            
          
It Flutters To The Ground            
And Snaps At My Feet            
This Bird Is The Devil            
EVER LOUDER IT SHREAKS!!            
           
I Catch It In My Hands            
As I Drop To My Knees            
I SQUEEZE And I SQUEEZE            
UNTIL BLOOD THAT I SEE!!!           
          
LIFELESS AND SILENT            
I CONTINUE TO SQUEEZE...           
 for            
I Smile With Victory            
As I Remember To Breathe            
           
I Revel In My Triumph            
And The Cunning Malice I've Shown            
           
           
...But Wait!!  what is this!??    
     
This Winged Scourge Which      
 With-in My Hands I Hold,  
     
Feels Rough And Cold          
And As Hard As A Stone!!?            
     
With Mounting Perplexity           
I Release My Grip            
And Let The Bird Go            
.            
.            
I GASP FOR BREATH AND MY BLOOD RUNS COLD!!            
.            
What Have I Released From My Grip?!              
These Hands Of Scorn??!!            
..            
..            
...Nothing More Than A Half Crushed PINE-CONE...          
             
                          -M