Once upon a moonless night,
Came my greatest fright.
In bed with the silence of the night,
My heart nearly leaped into flight.
A shadow stained the floor,
Then a banged at my door.
The doorknob turned without permission,
Then suddenly went into remission.
I stared at the door with fearful eyes,
Thought I’d need to say my good-byes,
Like I did to my greatest love
As chilled fingers came from above.
Then my window shivered sadly,
Reminding me of behaviors badly.
I could not move, paralyzed in bed,
My senses alive, but muscles dead.
What is it? Can it really be her?
Too late at night for her to stir.
I heard my own scream of terror,
And truly regretted my shameful error.
The banging changed to scratching,
As if newborn terrors were hatching
On the other side of that door.
Hideous sounds I want nevermore.
The curtain moved where no wind was,
Moving as I thought a ghost does.
I lay motionless but alert,
Then felt the chill of graveyard dirt.
Silence made my heart stronger,
Hoping It was no longer,
At my door and windowsills.
Or did I just forget my pills.
Lights turned off, I lay in the dark,
As panic landed as softly as a lark.
I tell myself that I am dreaming,
My pale lips nearly screaming.
Is it she knocking at my door?
The one I hurt, but still adore.
“Please forgive me,” I roar.
Is this a fantasy and nothing more?
My mind churning, my heart burning,
A shadow moves, my head turning.
Is it she and nothing more?
Anger leaped out in another roar.
I stood and approached the door,
Turned the knob, a dreadful chore,
Then held my breath, pulled with care,
And stared at empty air.
A match to give me candlelight,
And lessen my growing fright.
To the window my legs went,
I saw the latch was bent.
The shadow moved, that I know,
Reminding me of E. A. Poe,
But not a raven, just a crow,
Landed on my shoulder and would not go.
Its beak stabbed my tender ear,
Again, I froze in dreadful fear.
An ominous crow dressed in black cloak,
And me in terror, about to choke.
My tongue as dry as Sahara sand,
Reached for crow with trembling hand.
Ebony crow that showed no fear,
Stabbed at my now bloodied ear.
My hand stopped, then descended.
Crow saw through my bravery pretended.
Claws dug into my shoulder deep,
My attention he intended to keep.
His whispered voice said, “Guilt.”
My heart, like a flower, did wilt.
Then whispered words, “Guilt evermore”
Chilled my soul to the frozen core.
“Guilt evermore. Guilt evermore”, repeated
My bravery long gone, now defeated.
Blackness on my shoulder seated.
“Evermore. Evermore”, was again tweeted.
I felt the feathers as they fluttered.
My dizzy mind confused and cluttered.
“Amends. Amends”, the crow cawed,
Then more pain as it deeper clawed.
Twas a dream, I came to see,
The morning revelation struck me,
Though me ear and shoulder hurt,
And off my shoulder, I brushed dirt.
“How to make amends?” I said,
Though my head felt filled with lead.
It would be a long road ahead.
A lot to do before I’m dead.
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