The Crying Crow

~Part One~

all was silent
all was still
or so the crow had thought
something violent
struck to kill
and lo! The crow was caught

flaming tongues
billowing clouds
screams of pain and fear
coughing lungs
from smoking shrouds
his skin began to sear

through the blaze
running, afraid
desperate to survive
into a glade
where fauna grazed
there he collapsed, but still alive.

~Part Two~

Morning in the forest
ashes on the ground
all is still and quite
nothing makes a sound

Birds begin to cackle
and sing into the morn'
but all have lost their voices
their notes are rough and worn

the lark no longer chirps
the ducks no longer quack
the soot and ash and smoke
made red and blue jays black

through the bitter morning
only one call is heard
a hoarse loud caw, from the maw
of an ominous black bird.

A wolf strides through the embers
to where a young elf rests
battered, burned, but not quite dead
laying on his chest

the birds sense the wolf's presence
but stay there with no fear
as the wolf stands up, becomes a man
and sheds a single tear

the man stoops down and whispers
"awaken, son of sorrow"
the boy wakes up, "who am I?" he asks
the wolf replies, "the crow."

I'll write more later.