Bestiary for the End Times

Corvus Americanus (California)
 
Under the gunmetal   
gray collapsing
sky
                                    a crow struts across
the green mowed
                                    meadow grass
between parked cars
                                    his wings tucked back
his beak thrust out
acting like he
owns the place
 
somewhere nearby
my daughters
are waking
somewhere faraway
a new sun
                                    is climbing the latticework
of clouds
                                    towards day
 
soon enough
we will all be
together, walking
                                    in this warm valley
 
 
crow! toolmaker
                                    gatherer of gold
you obsidian shard
you flake of night sky
here in the teeth
of day, is it true
what they say, that
you never forget a face?
 
Me, I forget
                                    so much
so much
 
 
Crow, eater of            
death, at least you
of all our relatives
                                    will be with us
until the end