And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon that is dreaming

At McDonalds in the outdoor eating area, this bird awaits scraps

Back in middle school we had to recite poems in front of the class. Not only that, we were required to dress up in some fashion, inspired by the work.

I try not to think about this very offten—if ever, but when I sat down to patch the day together with a photo, I kept seeing a raven instead of a crow.

Raven, being the title of Edgar Allen Poe’s narrative poem was the one my friend Jenn selected back in those formative years. I remember she wore all black and looked like a beatnik.

As for myself? I crafted a canoe to wear about the waist, attached by suspenders. I bet there are pictures of this get-up somewhere, but I refuse to find them. Middle school was a particularly rough period for my physical being.

I memorized Sarah Bolton’s Paddle Your Own Canoe.

An excerpt:

Nobly dare the wildest storm,
Stem the hardest gale;
Brave of heart and strong of arm,
You will never fail.
When the world is cold and dark,
Keep an aim in view,
And toward the beacon mark
Paddle your own canoe.

You might think it overly simplistic, but I think it bested the assignment’s required number of stanzas. I probably chose it so I could walk around school with a miniature cardboard paddle though…

Current music: Bon Iver “Re: Stacks”