I would be a songbird,

but my voice is stilled,

my music taken.

Or a water bird to swim the seas,

but in these heavy garments

I would surely drown.

I would fly across the world

in great migration,

but my wings are clipped.

The Qur'an says

the raven came down

to show the son of Adam how

to bury the body of his brother,

hiding the shame of murder,

yet haunted by its guilt.

The codes of Haram say

that, of five harmful animals

which are permissible to kill,

the second is the raven

How many sisters

out of eighteen million

will be buried now,

alive or dead?

What can we do,

we black-winged ones,

but circle 'round

and mourn?

~Unknown