a bent neck black and flustered feather mallee

deadened crow with external lockjaw

a bent neck black and flustered feather mallee

not as gracious as a magpie,

neck bent into the wind

and bitumen madness that claimed you

scorched mark

and tears

fallen into the blackened tar and earth

blood soaked earth through massacre

war

and plague

this is someone’s land

played host to someone’s lust of

a bent neck black and flustered feather mallee

ants scream

wage war

and curse the rain

black feathers scatter the highway

teasing the frozen bitumen spirits

locked in the heat and tar

sealed forever

like the constant anger

and sorrow within

a bent neck black and flustered feather mallee