Poems to Leave Streaks of Ink

The Crow

I struggled down the narrow path

Crashing through the thorns and weeds

Moaning as I scraped my wrist

Sighing at the crimson beads

Until at last I tripped and fell

Onto rocky, unpacked earth

I wept into the undergrowth

As I cackled with no mirth

'Why do you cry?' A voice croaked out

The sound a whisper on the wind

But looking up all that I saw

Was a crow that somehow grinned

'I am in such pain!' I wailed

Leaning back on aching knees

'Guide me from this place, dear crow,

And I will do all that you please!'

The crow tilted its narrow head

Piercing me with small black eyes

Causing me to wonder if

This talking bird was truly wise

'I cannot help you I'm afraid,'

The crow confessed to me at last

'For there is nothing that can change

The choices you made in your past.'

'But I've done nothing wrong!' I yelled

Tugging at my greasy hair

'I just walked as I was told—

This punishment, it is not fair!'

The dark crow flapped its wings and cawed,

As thunder rumbled far away

Afraid, I froze, and held my breath

Wondering what the crow would say

'You lie, you filthy animal!'

The crow's voice echoed all around

'You took the easy path for years,

And that is why you're on this ground.'

'You always picked what's best for you,

Without a care for all who hurt.

That is why you're all alone,

Left with only pain and dirt.'

'But there were no other paths!

What was I supposed to do?!'

I pleaded with the angered bird

Hoping he would see my view

Yet as I turned from whence I came

I froze at what I'd somehow missed

For millions of paths were there

Ones I thought did not exist

'You never made a single choice

That meant that you would have to fight.

As long as you were still okay

You did not care if it was right.'

'So now until the day you die

You'll forge paths in this cursed land,

Remembering this suffering

Was truly all caused by your hand.'