The Crow Poem by Abdul Malik Mandani

One cold, stormy and dreary night
While I was long lost in my musing,
There came a knocking, faint and light
Yet startled me from my dozing.

In the grim glow of a solitary candle
I got out of my old chair acreaking
And to the front door I did waddle,
Through the eyeglass began peeking.

Except for the road with such bleak a plight,
As was snow dust drifting and swirling,
There was but not a soul in sight
So much so, my heart began racing.

Frozen to the ground I stood still,
Deep into the darkness I kept peering,
In the grip of fear and weak of will,
Who might be? I kept wondering.

With a rush of uncommon valor and insight,
I nudged ajar my dwelling door
to explore this mystery of my fright -
Lo, merely darkness there and nothing more!

With a smile and back in my chair;
Once again I heard now a loud tapping,
To confront the intruder, clear and fair
And unravel this behavior beguiling,

I marched emboldened to the door
And opened it wide now unfearing,
Hoping only darkness there and no more
And forever stop this irksome rapping.

With cold sweat welling on my brow,
Perched upon my front porch railing,
Emerged from darkness a carrion crow
Where it appears to have taken to roosting!

A stealer of soul, messenger of death,
With its beady black eyes kept at me looking,
Brooding over to let me live a few more breath
With a sly smile on its beak amocking.

With a choking dismay I crumpled to the floor,
Drenched in cold sweat, shivering, fluttering;
When I raised my head the crow was no more -
A close encounter or was I just dreaming?