Crows are sacred birds
Represent departed souls
Dressed in black you see her around
Flies about with a beseeching sound
Make you feel that someone is around
Alarm clocks need not run
Wake you up when the sun is out
Eat the food you throw away
Cleans your courtyard from rats and mice
Claims her authority over pigeons and fowls
Keeps an eye on things around
Gives a warning when something prowls.
I saw her on a banana bunch
To devour the insects seen around
She is a friend and not a foe
So we feed her yearly once
As gratitude to our departed ones.
Gitanjali