down from the sky this morning,
hopping atop the thick green spring grass,
heads twisting as they hunted;
their beaks flicked through pink cherry blossoms
scattered by my walkway.
They did not see me, yet I wondered
what message they brought,
these hardy warriors of the sky,
as they hopped in this moment,
their croaking cry a reminder
these are talking birds. Some believe
ravens connect this world with the next.
Perhaps this small patch of grass
didn't hold enough for their meditations,
for in a flash of black,
they were gone, and I was left
with cherry trees still in bloom, petals falling,
and green, green grass around me,
a sunny morning now too quiet,
as if even the morning waited
for what will come next.
Image by Alexas_Fotos from Pixabay
You can read this fascinating summary of cultural beliefs about ravens to understand its complex history. In the same family as crows, these birds are intelligent, perhaps the Creator/Trickster these stories reveal.
Update: Now that that month-long challenge of writing a poem each day is over, I'm back to writing and revising Scattered Stones, feeling I have "miles to go before I sleep," and hoping each Wednesday to post a little something, like today's poem.
May Spring bring you warmer days.
Beautiful poem Beth. I've been fascinated by crows and ravens. When my son was young, maybe ten I went to pick him up at a friend's house. He said, "Watch this Mom." He put on his glasses and held his arm up. A raven flew from a nearby tree and landed on his arm and pecked at his silver glass frames. It was amazing. My son gave me his glasses and said "Hold out your arm Mom." I did and the giant bird hopped onto my arm. They figured it must have been someone's pet. It was a special experience. My young son had perfect confidence in the grand bird. Ravens and crows are intelligent birds. It is humbling to know that creatures other than humans are thinking and learning.
ReplyDeleteLove this story, Sandy. I read somewhere that ravens remember when people are kind and when they are not. What an experience not only to have that raven hop on your arm, but to share it with your son!
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