10/23/21

My Familiar

The crow slams into the window, drops to the sill, glances at me with embarrassment and hops onto the mantle.
I've had a bad day, loaded with physical pain but void of content.
Tears crash to my chest. The crow is watching my reflection in the mantle mirror. I can't stop crying. I am thinking of being in the ER today and the woman in the room next to me who wouldn't stop sobbing. I listened to understand her pain and realized she was crying about a loss.
At first I was annoyed since I was trying to read. When I became aware of my selfishness, I was very ashamed.
Now I am crying with frustration and about all I won't be able to righten.
Your eyelashes are sparkling, the crow says, there's glass dancing around your eyes.
I don't have any eyelashes he says looking in the mirror.
He sighs.
He does a soft shoe in the dust, a small sweeping of tiny steps, a hissing really, then he stops and takes a bow.
The bow is more of a harsh jerk, graceless. The crow blinks at me but just the once.
I smile.
Clean up the glass, he says, Wake up and smell the coffee.

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