Last night by moonlight, circled a crow,
Around the birches and the silent stream,
It screeched in warning, yet I saw no foe.

I watched from the window, as if to know
What lay beyond, some warning gleam,
When by moonlight circled a crow.

What I saw was a silver and shadowy show,
The moon's bright robes, and birch branches lean,
As the crow screeched a warning, and yet no foe.

I looked to the darkness as if to throw
All fears to the wind at the wicked scream,
When by moonlight circled a crow.

The bird beat down, this time swooped low,
To circle a newly-dug garden seam,
Where it screeched again, but yet no foe.

A rictus of fear at the black wings' blow,
Turned me to stone as the thing blasphemed.
Last night by moonlight, circled a crow,
It screeched in warning, yet I saw no foe.

Mary O'Donnell's most recent collection is The Ark Builders (Ark Publications UK, 2009). A selection of her poems appeared in Hungarian in 2011. Her next novel is due in autumn of this year. She teaches creative writing at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.