Crow Fly-Over Night Poem by David Lewis Paget

Bring all the kids on home from school
And gather the pets in tight,
Send out and warn the village fool
For it's Crow Fly-Over Night.
Stable the horse, bring in the geese,
Shut up the chicken run,
We can't rely on the local police
So load me a scatter gun.

Shut the windows in both the Utes,
Drive the car in the shed,
Lay out my anti-vermin boots
And a helmet to cover my head.
Lock the shutters and pull the blinds,
We don't want to show a light,
Set the locks on the window-winds
For it's Crow Fly-Over Night.

Then watch for the man in the hood and cape
As he drifts in, under the Moon,
If I sight him well, then he won't escape,
Not like in the month of June.
He brings his carrion in to feed
In a flutter of feathered blight,
If he's not dead yet, then he will be soon
For it's Crow Fly-Over Night.

And the widow Raines in her mourning dress
Has been seen to stray, she roams,
She scatters seed in the wilderness
But the Crows will pick her bones.
At dusk they come in an evil cloud
But with not a single caw,
Then settle over the land, and loud
Announce the word is ‘war'.

So hide the children beneath their beds
And bar each door in place,
Block up the chimney flu with lead
And call your sister, Grace,
If she doesn't come before the Crows
She'll find the door locked tight,
And then she'll know what the Devil knows,
It's Crow Fly-Over Night!

8 December 2014