Thursday, September 4, 2014

The Carrion Crow (Haibun poetry)

The Carrion Crow

Crows abound in the 
neighborhood and around the 
yard. Often in early morning a 
great, noisy caw-fest occurs. 

A carrion crow
sat on an oak, fol de rid-
dle, lol de riddle…

Only tiny oaks sprout here and 
there, as planted by industrious 
blue jays. Crows sit in the 
neighbors' incense cedar, 
redwoods and other 
miscellaneous, unlooked-after 
bushes. 

Watching a taylor 
Shape his cloak; Sing heigh-ho 
the
carrion crow, fol…

Crows are very smart, it's 
known. They can pick latches, 
love to collect small shiny 
objects and are good thieves. 

Wife bring me my old, 
bent bow, fol de riddle, lol
De riddle, hi ding…

Crows in this neighborhood are 
urban crows. It may be  this 
makes them smarter than their 
country cousins. Nevertheless 
they are well nourished and 
sleek for living on the city 
streets. 

That I may shoot
Yon carrion crow; sing heigh-
Ho, the carrion…

Crows often crack a walnut by 
dropping it repeatedly from a 
street light standard. There's 
an instance in town where a 
house down-spout was clogged 
with too many shells. A crow or 
crows opened nuts while on the 
roof. 

The Taylor he shot
And missed his mark, fol de 
rid-
dle, lol de riddle…

A crow across town enjoyed a 
left-over, smashed-flat-in-a-
parking lot, bag of French-fry 
and hamburger leavings; held 
the paper down with a foot and 
picked it clean. 

And shot his old sow 
Quite through the heart; sing 
heigh-ho 
The carrion crow,

Fol-de-riddle, lol de riddle, hi 
ding do.

Wife bring brandy—in
A spoon for our old sow is
In a swoon! Heigh-ho…



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