Black Bird

What symbolism is at the bottom

Of a black bird (raven),

Squatting on a half-eaten buffet

(The table)

long after the dinner has commenced?

Or what of a dog running up the way,

Toward the glass door, and on his lips

a sneer as if to say,

—Master loved me before he knew I knew how to talk.

And behind him , a wolf-hand snarls chasing, leaping

with a skull-face plate, mask over his

expressionless, hungry jaws.

(and this same dog was with us at the house),

At the House: Where a trio of corpses sang "Halleluia," as this is the face-plate icon come home hell-hound avenger of the Risen Christ.

And Black Dog is Satan, Lucifer, Belial, Leviathan—

As befitting all the ancient tales of woe.

***

(And I think to myself, walking past, humming a ballad about King Arthur—My these pies and cakes left sitting out are going to make everyone ill.)