22

There they are again,

Crows cawing from bare branches.

Double twos come always

Here, there and here again.

Hunched arches prise my weary eyes open

My heart pounds and I speak in tongues

A chill that crawls at a spider’s pace

Creep up my spine, my arms, my cheeks

Peck, peck against the window they go,

Caw, caw against the door

Beady eyes peeking in

I’m trapped, frozen

22 here, 22 there.

Dive bombing from above like Spitfires

Shrieking with victory

They hark and cackle,

They know.

I'm lifted like a puppet

Carried by unravelling threads in two black beaks

Toes scraping along the pavement

I’ve ruined these shoes again