What are some liteary harbingers of death?

Owls. Vultures.

In some cultures, a bird getting caught in your house means someone is going to die.

Killing the albatross at sea is bad luck for the ship.

http://death.findyourfate.com/Deathomens-birds.html

If you google Omens of Death you’ll get more hits.

Crossing into Shadows
Doors Closing

Crows, banshees and other specters/spirits/apparitions

Shadows in the basement, lol.

Wearing a red shirt… ;)

@derekfnord I thought that was only in M. Night Shyamalan movies. :P

@WillWorkForChocolate Also, the original Star Trek. Then they changed color schemes for TNG and the rest.

When sexy teens go to a remote cabin for the weekend.

There’s the Angel of Death of course.
Black cat.

Darth Vader.

When a tiny child makes friends with an old man, the kid’s gonna die of some tragic disease.

Violin music

eclipse of the sun
nightfall
making a coffin
mermaid/siren
falling leaves [especially the last one]

Seeing one’s doppelganger.

The appearance of Oranges in the Godfather films.

Tide going out
Lowering clouds and high winds
Heavy rain, sleet, snow, hail, locusts

Quoth the Raven: “Nevermore!”

Slutty teenage girl is having sex in a car.

“There is one last thing you need to know…”

“OK gang, let’s split up…”

In crime novels, if a young man says he’s getting married, he is usualy a red shirt.

Apropos of this question:

I had a laugh (literally) when I walked out of the house this morning and saw the most humongous crow I’ve ever seen in my life (I shit you not; it looked like a compact black eagle) standing at the peak of my roof (just above my bedroom, as a matter of fact), and looking right at me as I walked to the car. I stopped, we “shared a moment” regarding each other, and I laughed out loud. What a great start to the day! Good thing I don’t believe in omens unless I’m writing them myself.

A flock of eight or nine starlings (or some other inconsequential little bird) came out of nowhere to pester him off his perch (he’s probably waiting for me now in the back yard – I am not afraid to go home, but I do have some things to catch up on before I leave the office). Those inconsequential little birds can really have an effect on that big ol’ crow. I was kind of rooting for him to stay, and I hope I see him again.

Anyway, if I don’t see you tomorrow, don’t wonder about what happened to me… you might just wonder, “How did he go, anyway? I want the gory details.” Details, if any, will be in the Hartford Courant, eventually, I’m sure. At least once the smell of the decomposing body begins to stink up the neighborhood. Reminds me that I’d better make sure Willow’s water dish is full tonight. And it’s been swell and all, but we all knew that it probably had to end sometime. (And darn it, I was so hoping to live forever, too!)

I haven’t given up hoping, yet. We’ll see how things turn out in the morning… assuming I live that long.

PS: In case of any lingering doubts, this is not a suicide note.

Maybe the Universe is trying to tell me something. Whatever, Universe. I’m not listening.

So I’m driving home, and within a quarter-mile of the house I see a cute little kid on a scooter on the sidewalk, coming at me on my side of the road… wearing a Hannibal Lecter mask.

Maybe the dead flies on my windowsill are another.

I am not listening to portents today, Universe! La – la – la – la – la. I can’t hear you!