The last crow called.
Nearly midnight and I felt mild,
Not sleepy at all.
I lay there in bed,
Wondering if the night would bring dread.

Midnight approached,
And death’s chime arose.
I sat up in bed,

And soon thought ‘I must be dead’.
Shiver was all I could do,

I knew staying up tonight, now,


My decision I would rue.



Twelve is what the hands struck,

Bringing the grandfather clock to ring.
I was so startled I jumped,

I didn’t wish to know what was to come this early morning.

I reached for my covers,

But they flew out the window.
Suddenly, a chattering arose,

Like the sound of a spindle.
The temperature dropped,

Like all it’s warm hair was shaven.
Then I was surrounded,

By twelve dozen raven.

Six dozen whispered, “Shadow’s”,

The rest said, in the same tone, “Child.”
Suddenly, I realized,

I was alone tonight.


Alone, alone, alone, in my mind,

Is what ran and repeated again and again.
When out the window,

Flew the pillow I used to support my head.

I whirled around,

My door and window were gone,


No holes to replace them.
I realized that whomever Shadow’s Child

Was,


Didn’t want me escapin’.

My floor went dark,

Only my bed remained.
My walls were still there,

Assumably because of the ravens of


Which I would be aware.



A girl no more than twelve,

Stood in the center of my floor,


Dressed in clothes dating back to



The Civil War.


I asked for her name,

But all she said was, “Raven.”
“Please,” I begged. “May I go back to my

“Bedroom haven?”
She only said, “Raven,” again,

I nearly lost my head.

I screamed at the girl with the sunken

Face,


“Go back to the realm of shadow



“From which you came,




“For crying out loud, leave this place!”


The shadows that loomed under her eyes

Grew darker,


And I felt strange when, at me, she



Pointed a bony finger.



A tingling sensation went from my head to

My toes,


I then got the knowledge,



Of what a raven only knows.
My human thoughts vanished,

As I got smaller and more diminished,


I hoped that I wouldn’t soon be



Finished.






I tried to yell for help,

But only came a raven’s caw.
Looking down to see my feet,

I only saw six raven claws.
I opened my mouth again,

All that I could say was,


“Leave this place.”

She headed my words and left,

Saying, “Raven” once more.
Ravens trailing, crying, flying, swirling,

Calling,


“Shadow’s child, shadow’s child!”
Then, like a flash, they were gone,

Vanished, nowhere to be found.
I fluttered madly,

Looking all around.




Everything, from the mess on the floor,

To the pictures on the wall, returned.
I fell to the ground,

Wanting to cover my changed and


Horrible face with my black



Feathers and fur.
No longer a person, to my horror,

A raven I shall stay forevermore.

Now I had wings and tail feathers,
With my final heartbroken breath,

I opened the shiny black beak that was


Now attached to my face.
I breathed my final words, that were:

“Leave this place.”