Whilst You Die Poem by Amelie Ison

-For Hades, the crow

We put you up high so the cats can't get you,
But it is futile: you will die anyway.
I know Death must come to all
But he has been forced to your side too soon;
And I know you are an omen of Death,
But even you cannot escape it.
I hope that when he sees you—
Lying there in your broken body
With your broken leg—
That he takes pity on your frail being,
And picks you up and holds you tight
And kisses you all over so that you may feel loved
For a final time.

Around us, everything lives:
And it is so quiet I can hear a slug
Trailing across the plant pot.
I am sitting here with you placed carefully on my lap,
And I watch you gently preen your feathers
Now and again. I watch the birds in the sky and I think
How unfair it is that you are grounded,
Unable to fly, whilst they take it for granted.
They say crows can remember faces
So, maybe, when I die, I will see you again
And you will recognise me;
Perhaps you will show off your new wings
And I will get to hold you once more...

But, for now, I watch you sleeping;
I watch you breathe—
I hope that you feel safe with me
And I hope you feel some comfort
Whilst you die.