I'm sorry Andrea, this waiting game is hell on earth. My thoughts and prayers are with you...hugs-

The emotions here are sad for me as the reader, the crow is well used because of the darkness it holds. The metaphor about the crow is great because I see the crow as a negative thing in your life. You are waiting for the crow to go away and while doing so, you feel cold inside. The emotions are real throughout and I hope whatever is troubling you passed soon. :(

Another eliquent piece in times of great personal darkness. Sending you a huge hug and our prayers. Milly x

The poem powerfully strikes you with an image as you read. Cold and darkness are felt all throughout this short piece. The emotions being held still feels the same (at least for me) even when re-reading. It’s one of those poems that lets the reader interpret it freely. Well done Maple.

If I write a poem and mention the 'tree' word or anything else from nature, you are there. You have mentioned the word 'Crow' I'm here.
I have mentioned numerous times that I am influenced by Ted Hughes 'Crow', This influence is evident in some of my darker dirges. This piece felt like something he would have added to his collection. I loved the imagery and the anguish, I also loved the layout and the fact there are so few words. Great write, glad to see it nominated.

Congrats on the win

judges comment
I love a simple poem, Especially one that can say so much with so little written. Of all the pieces this week, this one struck a nerve. This is the one I remembered and kept going back to. As you read you can picture the crow, you have the feeling of being watched. A simple comfort blanket of the coffee does nothing against that feeling of dread painted by the crow imagery. We are all guilty of rambling to pad out our poetry sometimes, me more than most. This piece is a good example of stripping back the words that aren't required without affecting the tone. 7 points