Crowing

Crow, you curious critter!

—Schubert, Winter Journey

A verse must tell what can't be said.

Good poets know that this is true.

You fear your luck is running out—

But so is all the luck in view!

The quick must answer for the dead,

Demanding where the future's sped.

Here in my yard the ravens caw.

It would be nice to tell you more!

A raven’s bigger than a crow;

Proclaimed a bird of least concern,

One says, I think, “Just wait your turn.”

But truth to tell, I don’t quite know—

I’m hard of hearing. Perhaps the song

's: “Boy, you better hope you’re wrong!”

AI notes: "Krähe, wunderliches Tier" (Crow, wonderful  creature) is a famous line from the 1827 song cycle Winterreise (Winter Journey, D. 911) by Franz Schubert, based on poems by Wilhelm Müller.

Wednesday, August 12, 2026