Arrow Rock Literary Journal

I hear the whisper of a midnight raven,

and a memory starts to unfold—

a living nightmare awakens!

Is it death, or a prophecy to behold?

I listen to the ocean, and before the moon I cry,

drowning in sickness and desire,

is it better to live or to die?

My organs suffocate in neon, an all-consuming fire!

I dream of darkness; I ache for the light of day!

I cannot escape the monsters and their lies,

Will the raven set me free if I beg or if I pray?

Left to await an angel or devil to take me at sunrise!

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Raya Kruger is a transfer student from St. Louis Community College and is currently a junior at Lindenwood University. He is earning his degree in English with an emphasis in Creative Writing. In his free time, he enjoys buying books (ignoring the many others on his shelf), rereading Six of Crows, and writing poetry, short stories, and nonfiction pieces. He is a biracial transgender writer and often shares his experiences in his work.