Poe, My Friend

(These are not real crows, but toys… and NOT Poe.)

My biography at Enchanticals on Etsy used to tell the true story of my friendship with my beloved Poe, the crow. It is no longer there, but I want to share Poe’s story with you.

Poe was very dear to me and I want him to be remembered forever. So, I am posting on my blog about our friendship. I think of him every single time I go outside in my backyard.

I have no photos of Poe. So, I have provided photos of my backyard through its various stages of development. It looks very different now…mature and lush. But, these were when my Poe was with me.

Here is my story of my Poe and me…

I was adopted by a crow. Really! How lucky I was!

Whenever I went outside into my backyard, this large black crow with shiny feathers appeared. He lived… well; actually, I wasn’t exactly sure where he lived.

Amazingly, he appeared the minute I went outside. If our birdfeeders in our bird sanctuary were empty, he came up from behind me and gently tapped me on the right shoulder. Then, he sat on the fence watching and waiting for me to fill them. If I didn’t fill them right away, then he would fly up with feathers flying, circle around me, and again tap me on the right shoulder….this time with a little force. This was odd because, he never ate from the birdfeeders. Never.

Each day when I began to garden or do whatever it is I do when outside, he would join me by sitting on the fence moving along it, side-stepping, around the yard so he could watch me and be near. We didn’t talk. He just kept me company. I would try to strike up a conversation, but he was more of a listener than a talker.

And, when the birdbath needed water, he called my name, in crow, of course. If I was inside and didn’t hear him, he tapped on the window where, Thistle Bea, my precious Calico kitty, sits. Thistle Bea would then come to tell me to fill it.

Now, that is enchantment…

Then one day, my crow, Poe, left me a very special gift…one of his shiny black feathers. So, I pulled a hair out of my head and left it for him in return. If that had continued, one of us would have been bald.

Having him Poe with me outside daily was pure magic. I felt so lucky and enchanted. The garden felt magical for some reason.

But, sadly, my crow, Poe, died. He died a horrible death because of me.

The side of my house which faces the backyard is all windows. I had them tinted, but, in spite of that, my Poe, flew into one of them and cracked his skull open. He must have seen me in the house and flew to me, not seeing the glass of the window.

I ran outside after he slammed full force into the window, hoping he was okay. But, I found him dead. His brains were imbedded in my screen, on the window, and on the ground.

I picked him up and cradled him in my arms. That was the first time I ever got to touch and hold my Poe. He was still so warm, beautiful, black, and delicate. Even though his life energy left, I could still feel some of it as I held him.

I am very lonely now whenever I go outside. I keep looking for him on the fence, hoping maybe, just maybe, that was not my Poe who died. But, sadly it was.

After my Poe died, I experienced some very odd things.

Poe, as mentioned, never ate from the feeders in my bird sanctuary on the side of my house even though he insisted I fill them. I had to serve him his food in HIS special place.

A few weeks after his death, every day at the exact time, the bird sanctuary was filled with crows, blackbirds, and magpies. I had never seen a magpie in flesh nor should I say, in the wing, before… only in photos. They are so beautiful.

For some reason, when they all came and the bird sanctuary was filled to the brim with only black feathered birds, I was reminded of a New Orleans jazz style funeral.

They continued to come for about a three weeks. Then, they no longer came…not even one. The bird sanctuary was filled with all kinds of birds except black ones.I didn’t understand why. I still don’t. I thought they held me accountable for Poe’s death. Time went by and not a single black bird of any kind came into my yard. It was as if my yard and the sanctuary were now off limits.

Then one very hot day towards mid to late summer, while I was on my knees gardening, a large crow swooped down towards me to get my attention and then perch himself on the top edge of my pergola that covers my deck. He just sat there staring at me. I felt very uncomfortable as if he could see into me somehow or was sizing me up or judging me. Then, after what seemed like an eternity, he made a little sound in his throat, seemed to dismiss me, and flew away towards the east.

I was perplexed and felt, well, mixed emotions …discomfort, feeling I failed some test, and a deep sadness. I wanted my Poe.

Then, two weeks or so later, when I was sitting with my little Thistle Bea at her inside window seat, where she watches her bird friends, a large raven appeared and started eating out of the feeders. He was so big, black, and regal. After that day, he came, alone, every day at exactly the same time. He did this for what seemed to be more than a week. I am not sure.

Then, one day, after he arrived at the same time and ate, the bird sanctuary was filled, not only with all our regular birds and the big regal raven, but also with blackbirds of every kind.

For some reason, I had been exonerated. How do I know? Well, they came back... all of them... all except my Poe.

Poe will live forever in my heart. After all, that is now where he resides.

Marsha