Raven Eyes

he sits on a fence post
fluffing glossy-black feathers
utters somethin’
taciturn squawk
maybe a trill
looking askew at me
sitting in the rockin’ chair
back porch gazin’
haughty bird already there
when I came to sit and look
like to know what the robber baron’s thinking
like to know if he’s thinkin’ the same about me
won’t look at me straight-on
naw
keeps his iniquitous eyes
out of kilter
‘cept for fluffin’ his feathers
don’t do nothin’
just sits and stares
same as me\
‘cept I give him a straight-look-stare
don’t hide mine
caw, caw, caw
wonder if he’s cawin’ at me
or
just ‘cause that’s what them kinda birds do
its like he knows my secrets
the dark ones
that’s why he won’t look straight at me
stupid kleptomaniac
got no right to judge
I’ve seen him steal other birds’ food
funny thing
usually there are plenty of birds around
murdering insects
doin’ their thing
not now though
oh they’re still here
roostin’ on high line wires
sittin’ up there looking down at that damn bird and me
motionless
not a sound out of ‘em
just sittin’
sittin’ and waitin’
that blackbird up on that fence post
has a peculiar look about him
like he’s waiting for something
too darn quiet around here
even so
can’t hear the television
up in the front room
always hear the television when I sit out here
not today
somethin’ ain’t right with the world
I tell ya
startin’ to feel it in my bones
sky blood red in the west
be dark in less time than . . .
hate to say it
I’m getting spooked
somethin’ wrong
don’t wanna be out here
when dark drops
not scared
no
got nothin’
to do with that damndable bird
but I’m going inside
lock everythin’ up
uh huh
must be something wrong with that television.
or maybe that crazy damn bird
up to no good

©January 21, 2017 / Jerry Pat Bolton