When she was alone in an assisted living
home she would whisper a story
to whoever would listen
of a tale of how she's followed
everywhere she goes by a crow.
Of how years ago at three in the afternoon
her lover Paul passed away
and then how a crow marched completely
around the house cawing.
When she went to her job the following
Monday there was the crow
strutting in front of her window cawing.
She continued on to say
when her best friend Marion died
there was the crow.
It flew down and sat on the window
and when she went to the market
it followed her there keeping her company
in her grief and cawing.
And when she started a new job
she saw the crow watching her from atop
a flag pole.

"Look" pointing out the window,
she said, "There's the crow!"
We all looked out and saw it
asking her how she knew it was the same one,
"Because, I see Paul in his eyes and his
voice is always raspy and hoarse
from following me and cawing."