First published in Scarlet Leaf Review in its March 2021 Journal

By Douglas J. Lanzo
Copyright 2020

One day, I wondered, gazing at the setting sky,
Why doth the crow, raven and cousin magpie,
crave objects that shine and sparkle to the eye?
What motives doth this strange behavior belie?

Do crows perceive value intrinsic in gold
or crave things that humans dearly behold?
Do they believe friendship is bought and sold,
or treasure more jewelry than wisdom of old?

Do ravens see silver as currency of choice,
or sing odes to its beauty in rapturous voice?
Do they see getting rich as a cause to rejoice,
or view robbing others as permitted exploits?

What crosses the mind of a magpie in flight,
as it veers for a bottle cap barely in sight?
Is it drawn by its glittering pulses of light,
or fearful lest rivals first claim it by right?

Do these fine-feathered birds let emotion creep in?
If so, selfless and lofty, or tempted by sin?
To crown with fine metal their fast-beaked kingpin,
or gift to their families gold, copper and tin?

Then it struck me that questions of this nature bear,
relation to things that each human holds dear,
from fame and great fortune to kind, loving care;
A lesson to ponder, as I continued to stare…