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The Animal Poem
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2007 black raven
would you be any color but
the black
of a moonless night
the black
of damp wool
a curly-head lamb
pinned under you
black raven
little bits of grey
brain upon your beak
stop calling me
because I cannot
bear to see
your black head bobbing
“croak croak croak”
that lamb
god’s lamb
your dirty sacrificial lamb
stolen out
from under sight
his clouded eyes
sightless to see
black raven
with your ruffled wing
scuttle no more
your raven dance
there is no gun here
for a black bird
a black lamb
or-
black raven
your beady eye
is scalding
you do not blink
as I
a farm girl’s duty-
I would have killed you
for what I have done
