A big city crow
sagged the power line,
giving me a one-eyed stare
of dark caution.

I saw a few birds,
dogs on leash
but nothing else
spoke from the wild.

At the party
there were chances
to stumble and fall,
letting the wine talk
instead of my better angel,

but the outline of crow
guarded the door,
demanding silence.
How could I refuse?

 

Guarding the Door

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

17 Responses

  1. Remember what Strauss and Howe said in the 4th Turning. When we enter the Crisis be careful of what you say because the powers around you will look for scape goats. It is always good to have the crow or raven on our shoulder!

  2. Don here’s a real good one. Like all great lyric there are two dimensions woven together-a whole interior poem unspoken. It’s always a soft sell eh?

  3. Thanks, Don. Crow comes to power line near my bedroom window for check-in most mornings. Its a “he” because his partner is taking care of their family in nearby fir tree. Even as he calls me to rise, he is guarding his domain. Am I guarding mine? No party, no wine–only dark thoughts drifting into awareness from the darkening world.

  4. Exquisite!

    Although I do not know you that well…you strike me as Crow in the fractal of your own life: guarding the door for your beloveds…

  5. Thanks Don,
    Crow teaches us to gang up on predators – joining together is our power.
    Crow is also at the gate of law and order whereas Raven is the magic.

  6. When a crow passes on there is a circled ritual of grieving. There is no other winged species that does that to my knowledge.

  7. When I speak of you over the years I always refer to you as the smartest person I know. The crow is the smartest bird but is it free from the chains of the skyway?

  8. The “wild wordless wisdom” of our winged friends..always there to prompt us…and the crows seem to be expert at negotiating the ways of the town and city. So grateful to have them there.
    Some months ago I saw an albino crow in amongst a group of black ones..that was something that struck me… I made a paining of it.
    A kind of talismanic image.

  9. I find that crow has many forms, each guarding me against half-formed choices not good for my soul.
    Thanks for this one.

  10. Like your poem, Don, and am quite taken with the photo of the crow. What I feel from this feathered friend is AWARENESS—striking! Thank you!

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