This week's prompt is Birds and Bonds, which I used for another long-lines exercise. Again, I've done it as an image; click it to bring it up larger.
Below the cut, the poem in text, with broken lines. Oh, and -- forgot to mention -- I have another Raven poem, which will be published in a book about ravens, soon to come from Rio Nuevo Publishers.
Raven
I tie my hair in a knot at the back of my neck. As I do this, I think of you.
I watch Raven, watching me -- his beaded eye. My life is a ball of string.
I want to give him that ball. He will hide it, like an egg. He holds all
the secrets. Another day of reminders that I am a citizen of a damaged
country. Our hearts are broken, cracked by fear. Perhaps I'll shave
my head, offer it to Raven. He will cache it, a large pale egg.
This new-moon night is dark as feathers, dark as thunder. Raven will
take my braid, use it to line his nest, high on a hidden cliff or the soaring
tower of some cathedral. My braid will warm his chicks. I wish I could
speak with him. I wish I knew his harsh tongue. If I could puff out
my throat like he does, if I could inflate my hair, become large and bold
and glossy; if I could speak his language, I would not be so afraid.
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Wonderful raven poem. We have tons of them living in this littl city. The poem is so Raven. :-)
Posted by: Cynthia Bagley | 12 December 2007 at 04:09 PM
This is excellent, you've captured the raven wonderfully and there is such a sense of quiet doom in your poem, summing up the current climate in all too many places
Posted by: Crafty Green Poet | 13 December 2007 at 01:59 AM
You have really caught the essence of ravens. Great work.
Posted by: Jo | 13 December 2007 at 03:51 AM
You have really caught ravens. Great work (if this is a duplicate, sorry, for some reason it won't take my comment).
Posted by: Jo | 13 December 2007 at 03:52 AM
i was all set not to like this,, i felt like it was going to be dry and intimidating.. but i must say you won me over,, and i think it is lovely,, not just visual,, but real....
Posted by: paisley | 13 December 2007 at 06:40 AM
never before had Ravens interested me this much :)
very nicely done
Posted by: Rambler | 13 December 2007 at 08:07 AM
I see layers...what we know we don't fear...ravens are rather frightening and raucous.
Posted by: Tumblewords | 13 December 2007 at 10:29 AM
Gorgeous imagination. The line about puffing out his throat is what really caught me, and then the idea to fear, less. Wonderful. I love ravens (I thought it was bad luck to look them in the eye, though...is that a true legend or?) I'm excited you have a poem being published in a book about them. Yea!
Posted by: ...deb | 13 December 2007 at 02:55 PM
You really know how to rave about ravens!Nicely written.
Posted by: SweetTalkingGuy | 13 December 2007 at 05:26 PM
Thanks, all, for reading and commenting. Food for the muse.
I hadn't heard that it's bad luck to look a raven in the eye. I look them in the eye whenever I get a chance.
Actually, I adore ravens, even with all their tricks and mischief. They are rumored to be the most intelligent of all birds, and my guess is that they're more intelligent than we think.
And I'm liking these long lines. I think I'll keep it up for awhile.
Posted by: SB | 15 December 2007 at 02:24 PM
This works so well, beautiful images that fit and yet the detail is exact. Fran
Posted by: Frances Sbrocchi | 16 December 2007 at 04:09 AM
This works so well, beautiful images that fit and yet the detail is exact. Fran
Posted by: Frances Sbrocchi | 16 December 2007 at 04:10 AM
I agree about the long lines. You really know how to use them! Intriguing poem!
Posted by: Linda Jacobs | 16 December 2007 at 09:28 AM