a crow suspended in white space,

perched upon a dying winter tree.

a sudden thunderclap eclipses the world;

and caught in the bird's burning eye,

the reflection of a goddess;

teeth worn down by centuries

of chewing human bones

in barren fields,

bloodied runes of war entwined in her hair.

for a brief moment she is captured in a flash of white hot light,

her gleeful, greedy grin and dark, maddened eyes;

before her smile begins to melt in confusion and in pain,

to be replaced by a vast mushroom cloud;

all memories lost and all petty triumphs forgotten,

buried beneath a fall of poisoned snow.