Perched on the wall, the Raven scrutinised the fields that stretched for miles
Studying the crows as they gathered together by the clump of berry bushes
Its gimlet eyes concentrated, waiting to strike.
Searching for weaknesses amongst its minions, a black-shirt, a minor deity made for death,
Skull’s head, ****, the demon of the dull cloud-dark skies.
An omen heralding star-snuffed, moon-ruined night.

The raven strutted into view-
Dissembling crows
Peered from the tangled grass lashed
Into solemn silence.
The raven assumed a coal-black authority
Driven by its coal-black soul.
Its beak stabbed out automatically
Bleakness of past; spectral futures
Like echoes. Its eyes were cruel drops
Of impenetrable night.
The raven possessed everything in
The imperious manner of a cut-throat-
Killing without fear, without conscience.
It ruled like the destroyer.

The Raven she speaks with a proud cry
Among the bluebird and the butterfly
Saying words whose life I knew
Near open doors and gallant bleu.

Giving life to lovers true
Beyond say the tomb,  gave life anew.
Fleeting moments too few to savor
Mending hearts two bruised to hear.

Find my name unspoken trust
Near the ore, untempted lust.
Bring to have, hearts amend
Sacred love of thine, Dear Devoted Friend.

He was the sole affliction, the disease of her mind at 2:48 am,
She sat frozen on her bed, plagued by the memory of him,
Her thoughts were assaulted by his face, and his hands, and his smile, and the way his eyes twinkled in the sunshine,
And she just knew that she was in love with him
But that boy--he shattered her heart.
He promised her the world, but he gave it entirely to another
So she drank and drank and drank until even her blood fermented.
The beautiful pictures that etched themselves into her mind were asphyxiated because of the nicotine in her lungs,
And the butterflies in her stomach were drowned because of the ***** in her veins.
Her soul went from alabaster to atramentous.
And her tongue cut like a razor when she spoke,
And the glaciers in her head looked into the souls of all she met.
A wall was built around a delicate, beating heart that was slowly turning into stone.
The heavens wept for the death of her beautiful spirit
Because after a while her eyes lacked luster and she started to smell of sin and formaldehyde,
And the bitterness in her head refused to allow her to take even the briefest glances in the direction of another.
So many offered her solitude, respite, love, a haven
But, she was a dove that morphed into a raven.

3 AM, I roll onto the floor;

No use trying to sleep anymore.

Anxiety shakes me to the core;

I walk to the bathroom, I lock the door.



The raven pecks at the window, so I let it in;

It tells me there's no escape from my sin.

It says that I've failed, and I'll fail again,

It says it never lasts when I try to repent...



I humor the raven, I listen to its lore;

I begin to think it's right, as my head grows sore.        

Will I ever different from who I was before?

Quoth the raven: "Nevermore".



Once upon a midnight dreary,

A midnight I have dreaded dearly,

I crawl to the sink, and I can't help fearing

The raven's words I hated hearing.



"I'm sorry!" I cry, "I want to do better!"

But how many times have I written those letters?

How can I ever pay? I'm the hopeless debtor;

And I can't always hide in the fabric of my sweater.



The raven tells me I'm a figurative *****;

I'm huddled in the cabinet, writing metaphors.

Will I ever have a mind free of blood and gore?

Quoth the raven: "Nevermore".



Why won't you leave me alone, you Godforsaken bird!?

To hell with you, and your pessimistic words!

I'm sick of being beaten, broken down, and disturbed;

You might be right, but you might be absurd.



I will try to change once more, as the night gives up its reign;

For a short while, I will return to being sane.

But the night will come again, as the sun can not remain,

And with it comes the raven, waiting at my window pane.



Why me!? Why me!? What does it bother me for?

I tried to do what's right! I can't take this anymore!

Will it ever stop peck, peck, pecking at my door!?

*Quoth the raven: "Nevermore".

as the winds
gently touch the flowers,
they whisper,
the songs, the melody
the beautiful notes of those forgotten,
inside of the garden
the music plays,
inside of the garden
the raven dances
into the night
into the darkness

shadows cover the garden,
melodies once heard
only leave a feint echo
of that now
what is left
once from the great dance
alone, the Raven gazes upon
the sadness of the garden

reflected by the moonlight
that which
the naked eye cant see
the human hand cant touch
a feel, emotion
beyond the comprehensiveness
of the mind
reaching out,
the raven opens its wings
taking flight
into the great night

once a keeper of the garden
a holder of the secrets
the moon
witnessed the melding
of a great being
with that, which now
is
only a shadow
of its former self.

On I walk a winding road
choked by thicket on both sides,
A lonesome path seldom strolled
but for a raven eyed

Sky dyes to red,
plagued by smothered light
The Vagrant seems to emanate
never within sight,
He follows in my gait
as fright blooms into night,...

On we walk the winding road
feet fall stride for stride,
The Ravens cries do not bode
well of what will betide
The Wanderer begins to goad
a creeping suicide,

It matters not, what cycles rot
nor incubus I sheath,
His laughters in my very thoughts
The echoes raze beneath

On I walk the winding road
Only one, I stand
The Raven flies overhead
we walk it hand in hand

I found a dead bunny
in my yard yesterday
his eyes were still open
But his body was still

I crouched down beside him
to admire his Beauty
and his fur still matted
from where it had been  chewed

I didn't feel sadness
I admired his bravery
I've seen lots of his kind
lately here in my yard

They're sent from the heavens
from my native ancestors

The Raven, the swallows & the two turtle doves...
They are all the....
...reminders
of a God's Burning Love.

I gently picked up
that long sleeping bunny
his little front legs
just dangling straight down
I made him  a bed made of mossy fresh Earth
to return him back home
......without even a sound.

Cherie Nolan © All Rights Reserved * 2016

Charlotte wanted a raven
Odd little girl she was
Her daddy looked worried
"That's the only thing she draws"

He took her to buy a puppy
In a pet store five miles away
"Daddy can I get my raven?"
"No my love, not today"

He bought her a cute little white
With friendly hazel eyes
But Charlotte wasn't happy
Immediately started to cry

Her daddy got on his knees
"My dear, what makes you so sad?"
Charlotte sniffed three times
"Daddy, I wanted a raven so bad!"

Her father quickly started thinking
How to make her wish come true
"Let's name your puppy raven,
So you will get what you want too."

The girl looked down unsure
In the face of her new pet
And suddenly she fell in love
With the cutest thing she ever met

Years gone by terribly fast
And Charlotte watched him die
She buried him near her favourite tree
"Now little raven, you can fly"