Fish Crow

                                                     Corvus ossifragus
                                                     croaking bone-breaker

grind of purple clam shell and
chew of rusted rocker panel and
spit of mussel hinge and
caw caw whistle of rising drawbridge
rattle of pebbles behind retreating wave
caw whistle caw of descending bridge
and hoot hoot horn foghorn fog
folding dark wings over encroaching night
clatter of anchor chain
mutter of moon light on shiny black

Marie Harris
“Fish Crow” first appeared in Hanging Loose Magazine, #87.