Celestial Fire adds a hissing cymbal fill in the distance.
Steam rises with a hot suggestion of sound.
Upwards it rises now...
Beyond...
Beyond wind or noise...
Beyond Skywoman and Her Children...
Beyond Dreams...
We spin into the Void.
The Sun calls forth a rainbow
'gainst an ebon shadow
as the Sun is set
...like a burning bit of amber...
into an azure coronet.
"Stormbringer, Bonepicker, Trickster some call me."
A laugh both harsh and rythmic
Childlike, they fill my shadow with their fears.
"This way, Child!
Here is the path you left behind!
Mind your ways!
Don't just speak the truth, Fool!
Live it!"
I chuckle,
"Leave denial in the dust...
Leave pain...
Leave past...
Leave rage...
Leave lust.
Empty as the waiting vessel be!
Fill your life with Light and
Deep within your essence see
all that Creator would ask of thee."
I sing in Dreams.
I sing of Prophecies...
of paths lost and found...
Sacred trails begun in the heart
but by Wisdom and Choice unbound.
Change and Magic...
...Creation...
Denial...
...Shadow and Light...
Secrets and Soulful trial.
These fuel my flight!
"You are not alone in the long run." I mutter
"Your heart knows we are already One!"
As you Dance your earthly fill,
I Soar...
and to the Winds I recklessly shrill,
"Law!
Death!
Time, all unheeding flow...
Forever before and
Forever behind.
Eternally awaiting Your perception..."
for I am Warden at this Door,
and many other thresholds,
between Truth and Deception.
"I hear and remember your unspoken Vow."
Who sings now?
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I wasn't sure who would sing next, but I dreamt of this Creature Teacher last night and some of what he said in Dreamtime I remembered long enough to start this poem. I woke up in the dark of my room blindly searching for the pad and pen I had dropped in my dream! lol Who had me up half the night taking dictation? Can you guess who sings now? Give me your best guess before you read on or check out the pics!
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"If men had wings and bore black feathers, few of them would be clever enough to be crows."- Rev. Henry Ward Beecher.
"The universe is full of magical things patiently waiting for our wits to grow sharper." Eden Phillpotts
Crows and Ravens are often linked in totemic symbol. Both symbolize Magic, Secrets kept and revealed, personal integrity as law, Change,Wisdom, Opposites crossed, Dreams and Psychic abilities. Crow and Raven also have a lot to do with communication, and with intuitive knowledge. These are powerful messengers who fly fearlessly into the Void to bring back the treasures of the soul hidden there. Those who feel called by Crow or Raven have high obligations, but are also well protected. There are countless stories about both of these creature Teachers from around the world."I must help them," thought Raven; and he flew down to earth, calling, "Ga, ga, ga!" and gathered the people together." ~Compiled from Native American tales by Glenn Welker
In some tales it is Raven who stole the sacred fire and placed it in the Sky for all the world to share it's warmth and light. In others, it is the trickster Raven who accidentally brings the human race into being, and thus must assume a certain responsibility for our teaching. It is said this is why you can find crows just about anywhere that there are people. Some stories would make these midnight messengers the bearers of bad tidings or death...but what is death to a master shapeshifter like these fine fellows? Just another turn of the wheel and another trick to be mastered. The ultimate Change."For in much wisdom is much grief; and he that increaseth knowledge increaseth sorrow." ~ Ecclesiastes (ch.I, v. 18)
"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthed, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved." ~Helen Keller
"People seem not to see that their opinion of the world is alos a confession of character." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
Those who feel drawn to Raven or Crow should always be mindful of their thoughts, words, and deeds. It isn't enough to pay lip service to the higher ideals we profess, we must live daily the beliefs we hold most dear. We, as follower's of Crow's path, must always strive to bring light into the darkest corners of our own souls so that we may help others to rise above the pain or resentment we collect upon the road of life. We certainly can't help anyone else if we are holding onto our own fears, pains, regrets or resentments!Whether we intend to or not, it seems to be a major part of our life. Crows and Ravens show others how to find light within darkness whether it is a situation, themselves or a greater concept. Because Crows and Ravens can see both sides of every situation, because we, in essence, live in two worlds at once...it is difficult to feel connected. We don't feel that we 'fit in' with other people, and often look around at other people as very curious and unrelated beings. It is natural for Crow people to feel disconnected, but the balanced Crow knows that this is only an illusion for in reality, we are truly One and everything is interconnected even if we feel separated.
Curiousity is great, if you don't carry it too far. New horizons and adventures beckon, but sometimes it is more important to finish the task at hand. Avoid being "preachy", "mobbing" someone whom you don't agree with or loudly cawing your own praises. Don't allow yourself to be easily distracted by the "shiny" bits that float across your path either, and beware collecting those shiny baubles in your life. We often like to hang out or work with individuals who are drawn to Wolf totem. I pondered 
for over 30 years the possibility of getting tattooed and finally ended up drawing it myself. Perched on my right shoulder is my own Raven placing the Sun into the Sky to remind me always of His lessons.
for over 30 years the possibility of getting tattooed and finally ended up drawing it myself. Perched on my right shoulder is my own Raven placing the Sun into the Sky to remind me always of His lessons."But he heard a rustling in the branches, and a golden apple fell into his hand. At the same time three ravens flew down to him, perched themselves upon his knee, and said, "We are the three young ravens whom you saved from starving. When we had grown big, and heard that you were seeking the golden apple, we flew over the sea to the end of the world, where the tree of life stands, and have brought you the apple." ~Grimms fairy tales "The White Snake"
When looking at crows and ravens in the wild, I become utterly fascinated by these complex creatures. Ravens are the largest in the family Corvidae or Corvini, which also includes crows, jackdaws, rooks, jays and magpies. Some representative of the family can be found just about anywhere on earth. Highly vocal and extremely social birds, crows and ravens appear to have their own language and have even been taught to speak words in captivity. Crows have been known to co-operate with a wide variety of animals to achieve their own goals. Crows have teamed up with squirrels to steal food away from cats or dogs. They will warn deer of hidden hunters. They will alert wolves to prey and then hang around for the leftovers.
Crows will have one mate til either they or the mate die. Ravens can live up to 30 years and crows have reached similarly long life spans. Crows have also been known to exhibit such extraordinary behavior as mourning the death of another crow, learning from observing the actions of other crows, moving back in with parents after the death of a mate, and standing watch over the sick. Crows have been known to build false nests to throw off predators and Ravens, like many other raptors, will continue to build onto the same nest year after year.
“How do geese know when to fly to the sun? Who tells them the seasons? How do we, humans know when it is time to move on? As with the migrant birds, so surely with us, there is a voice within if only we would listen to it, that tells us certainly when to go forth into the unknown.” Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
These omniverous birds are highly adaptable and can eat just about anything from carrion to berries to small game that they kill themselves. They have both been heavily preyed upon by man as they have been mistakenly viewed as an annoyance rather than the helpful creatures they really are. They are more likely to gobble up the catepillars and other insects that will destroy a corn crop than they are to help themselves to the occasional ear of corn. Animal behaviorists and Naturalists who have study this species have been consistantly surprised at their intelligence, and have often said that they have the highest intelligence of any of the birds and that their cognitive abilities are comparable to that of many primates.They have used traffic lights and vehicular traffic to crack nuts. They will disturb ant nests so its occupants will douse them with formic acid which acts as a natural pesticide and keeps them free of parasites. They will make and use tools, organize group efforts, and even employ clever mimicry to achieve their ends. Aesop would hardly be surprised.
“Dreams are renewable. No matter what our age or condition, there are still untapped possibilities within us and new beauty waiting to be born.” Dale E. Turner
"Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the actions stems the dream again; and this interdependence produces the highest form of living." Anais Nin
"Your vision will become clear only when you look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens." Carl Jung
The black feathers of Ravens and Crows are often seen as symbolizing their close connection to 
Creation, Magic, Destruction, the Void, Intuition, Dreams and Wisdom. Their shifting blue and green undertones would indicate a connection to inner calm and healing, as well as their keen abilitiy as shapeshifters. In some Native tales, Raven is rather like Prometheus pulling off amazing tricks for the benefit of His weaker two-legged brothers.
Creation, Magic, Destruction, the Void, Intuition, Dreams and Wisdom. Their shifting blue and green undertones would indicate a connection to inner calm and healing, as well as their keen abilitiy as shapeshifters. In some Native tales, Raven is rather like Prometheus pulling off amazing tricks for the benefit of His weaker two-legged brothers.Raven is said to have placed the Sun in the Sky for all of us to benefit from and that it was this act, His nearness to the sacred creative fires of the Sun, that placed the hidden rainbow in Many-colored Raven's wings.
There is definitely a sense of brotherhood fostered by Raven and Crow that extends beyond mere surface differences. We all live, learn, laugh, love and eventually die. We are all related, children together upon this Earth, and should get along in a reasonable fashion. "Knowledge is power." Raven says. Accepting such lessons are just stepping stones along our path, but if we are living our lives in a good way we are already respecting All Our Relations to the best of our abilities in everything we do. Looking for places to dump blame or shame is another huge waste of our time.
"Imagine all the people living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. I hope someday you'll join us, and the world will live as one." John Lennon
"Remove the mote from thine own eye before thou removest the beam in they brothers eye." ~ the Bible
Both crows and ravens have been linked with many dieties or saints from a wide variety of cultures over time. Huginn and Muninn sit upon Odin's shoulders and whisper secrets to him. Morrigan, one of the triple aspects from Celtic tradition, is nicknamed The Battle Raven and these carrion birds are her messengers. They have also been linked with: Apollo, Athena, Elijah, 
St. Cuthbert, St. Bernard, Brama, Siva, Kali, Hera, Cronos, Lugh Lamfada, Bran the Blessed and King Arthur. "To have a raven's knowledge" is an Irish proverb that refers to one having prophetic powers, or second-sight, and "ravenstones" are another name for tombstones in certain parts of the British Isles.
St. Cuthbert, St. Bernard, Brama, Siva, Kali, Hera, Cronos, Lugh Lamfada, Bran the Blessed and King Arthur. "To have a raven's knowledge" is an Irish proverb that refers to one having prophetic powers, or second-sight, and "ravenstones" are another name for tombstones in certain parts of the British Isles. Their black color and close association with death has earned them a rather evil reputation, but Native Tradition says that such powers are only to be feared if they are used selfishly or for bad purpose. In the Tarot, the Death card represents Change which may tell you something about how pleasantly people tend to view that subject! I often think that the preoccupation and fear of both Death and Change is a great waste of our time. We're here to live and learn.
"He who doesn't fear death dies only once." ~ Giovanni Falcone
"Death? Why this fuss about death? Use your imagination, try to visualize a world without death! ... Death is the essential condition of life, not an evil." ~Charlotte Perkins Gilman
"I don't know about you, " he said, "but I could murder a curry." ~ Death (Terry Pratchett)
"It is a fact that although the Death of the Discworld is, in his own words, an "anthropomorphic personification", he long ago gave up using the traditional skeletal horses, because of the bother of having to stop all the time to wire bits back on." ~ author Terry Pratchett
Both ravens and crows have a long tradition in lore of having the gifts of second-sight, prophecy, and magic of all sorts, as well as being greatly concerned with matters of the human soul. They have been considered messengers not only of gods, but of ancestors. It has been believed that a crow or raven attends both the birth and death of humans, serving as a guide for the soul within both to and from this life. Dreams are Raven's classroom, and we would be wise to keep track of them.
Well balanced Raven people have a voracious appetite for learning, are often students of a wide variety of esoteric or spiritual paths, are not preoccupied with death, change or time, and most often have such a deep understanding of the harshness in life that they can find the beauty even in the midst of tragedy. All Raven and Crow people have a fondness for secrets and for beautiful things. To connect with Crow or Raven I suggest reading some of the many tales and legends wrapped around these magical birds. BBC's delightful Doctor Who is a wonderful example of balanced Raven energy. Always willing to be first to venture into the unknown, willing to act as champion and guide even after suffering great loss or being disappointed by people, The Doctor uses his clever mind to unravel riddles and travels beyond the reach of time and space every day. Truly fascinating creatures, we have much to learn from this wise Creature Teacher. 
“Magic is believing in yourself, if you can do that, you can make anything happen.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
"Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to die tomorrow." ~Mahatma Gandhi
"If I danced with my feet as I dance in my dreaming, as graceful and gleaming as Death in disguise... Oh, but then would I hunger to be ten years younger, or wedded, or wise." ~ Peter S. Beagle
Who Sings Now? I http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976831157
Who Sings Now? II http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.jsp?articleId=281474976832647
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Comments: 19
This is really good!!!!! You dreamt it? That's great - maybe start keeping a pad and pen near the bed!!!! I really, REALLY like this one :) It's not me singing... too early for anyone to hear me! :)
Shelley, I'm glad you enjoyed this poem. I've been having a great deal of fun writing these and I never know who is going to be next, or when I'll be hit by the inspiration. My favorite kind of poety... the kind that almost writes itself! I'm rather fond of the Tricksters in tales too. Any guess as to which Trickster is singing here?
Wishing You Laughter
Prairie Kittin
..
U
"Those who feel drawn to Raven or Crow should always be mindful of their thoughts, words, and deeds. It isn't enough to pay lip service to the higher ideals we profess, we must live daily the beliefs we hold most dear. "
Not surprising you ended with a bible quote, however, the poem is one of the most inticing. And if I spelled, "inticing" right I'll be damed. it sure is a real good piece of flow and interesting matter. Are you singing? I saw no such thing of pictures, watch, you're like... fucking elvis or some-. That's cool though, you write good songs? And I'm refusing to read the comments. exxxxxxxxcellent read.
Zale, if you knew... you might be surprised that I ended with a Bible quote lol. Crow is often linked to clergy though; depicted in cartoons as the Preacher of the bird world. Glad you liked the poem. In each of these Who's Singing? poems, I have put together a little flipbook. If you look to the right of the page next to the title of the poem, you will find it. I suppose these could be set to music, but I have no skill, sadly, with reading or writing music. I sing whenever the mood takes me, which is pretty often, and I hope to take up an instrument this year... but I don't have Elvis' flair for rhinestones or peanutbutter and banana sandwhiches lol.
Wishing You Laughter
it was all very exciting to read. And it was very funny to see those pictures even though i was in a trance the whole time.
Thanks for giving voice to my totem - Raven
For the first time since I've lived here - over ten years - we have a crows nest or possibly two. Loud and boisterous and active creatures they seem to be. Chased our big Jimbo, garden kitty, already:)
Oh yes, Crows are nothing if not audacious and vocal!
:) wishing you laughter