Thursday, March 1, 2007

Woman And A Crow


Crows fascinate some people and annoy others. Traditionally, they are associated with death, bad omens and evil. They are characterized as being observant yet noisy with their strident caw and flapping wings. Yet, in some cultures, these birds are considered messengers of endearment, even light. According to Oriental author, Huu Ngoc --

In Japan, the creature represents family sentiment. The Japanese term ka ka, which means cawing, is homonymous with kawai, which means dear, darling (Dictionnaire des symboles, Paris 1992). In China, the crow is the bird of fire, the bird of the sun which brings light to the earth.


Two years ago, I found the bird to be a source of joy and harmony. I was out walking early in my front yard and saw a single crow on the barn roof. His voice was not irritable but rather appeasing. It seemed to stress a tone of strength and reaffimation. It was late March and Winter had dissipated early in the month leaving time for things to blossom without the threat of ice or snow. His presence seemed to unify the sky, surrounding terrain and human spirit. I did not see him, though, as a herald or prophet. He was simply a crow and myself, a woman who listened and reflected on the moment's living beauty.

Woman And A Crow

The pale hush of dawn becomes
a crow's voice, his shadow
bluing into raw song

while legs are anchored
to the barn roof
where a tin margin divides
east from west
shade trees from clear space.

A woman feels him cry, his throat
strained and stretching a prayer
toward her heart and huge poles
that frame a harp of wires soon
to be struck by wind, to carry
the calls of people who
dial their beloved kin,
who share as if angels
the early light and good news.

Joy comes in the morning!
Trembling, its bright fingers
prepare to loosen
the drawstrings of day
and love for a man
who shares her bread and wine.

2 comments:

jack said...

good evening Wendy

well this is one very pleasant surprise
the blog the poetry the painting and old crow
I just clicked on the button at over the bridge poetry

i love crows
spend hours watching them above the olive groves
round this time of year they are fighting with the hawks
but as you say they receive a mixed press

Joshua trees my my my their age must be humbling
the oldest olive on our land is three hundred and fifty years
by comparison an infant

perhaps I can call by another time and read your work
when I am less dull
I was up until dawn working

I enjoyed the feel of the blog
hope you don’t mind that I called by

my name is jack or john lindus
my partner name is alek lindus we have a twelve year old son
and live on the island of Samos in the eastern Aegean

Maria said...

Breathtaking! The soul mingling
of the crow and the women is
well captured in your words.